Tue, Jul 30, 2013, 06:38 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
July 30, Colombo: Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa said today his stance on the issue of distribution of police and land powers to provincial councils has not changed and reiterated that the powers will remain with the government. Responding to media queries Tuesday during the breakfast meeting with the heads of electronic and print media at Temple Trees the President said police and land powers were not implemented since the introduction of the Provincial Council system to the country and t he doesn't consider that the issue should be given special attention now.
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A smiling President told the journalists that the door for the opposition MPs to cross over to the government would be closed for some time but the doors for the regional politicians would further be kept open.
President Rajapaksa said that if needs to, he is willing to meet and hold discussions with the Chief Ministerial candidate for the North from the major Tamil party, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) C. V. Vigneswaran.
Speaking of the ruling party not selecting the former media spokesman of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Daya Master for nominations to Northern PC, the President said the final decision was taken by the nomination board of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).
Rejecting the TNA's comment that his decision to appoint a three-member commission to probe disappearances during the war was due to the upcoming visit of the UNHRC High Commissioner, the President said he has considered the issue stressed that the move was not due to any pressure from anyone.
(Photos by Nalin Hewapathirana)