Some provisions in 13A impractical, alternatives should be sought: President

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa today said some provisions in the 13th Amendment to the Constitution were impractical and that alternative solutions should be sought instead.

The President expressed these views when a group of European Union (EU) Ambassadors called on him at the Presidential Secretariat today.

French Ambassador in Sri Lanka Eric Lavertu, German Ambassador Jorn Rohde, Deputy Italian Ambassador Allegra Baistrocchi, Ambassador of the Netherlands Tanja Gonggrijp, Ambassador of Romania Victor Chiujdea and Denis Chaibi of the European Union Mission in Sri Lanka took part in the meeting.

The President Media Division (PMD) said the EU delegation was interested in learning more about the development and devolution of power in Sri Lanka.

Referring to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, President Rajapaksa said some of the provisions of the 13th Amendment were impractical.

“Instead, politicians should seek alternative solutions. For an example, if the provincial councils were given police powers, the police will become politicised. What is more practical is appointing people from the districts belonging to the Provincial Councils to the police ranks up to the level of OIC. It will help solve issues caused by language and cultural differences,” he said.

The President also said that political solutions should proceed hand in hand with the development process.

Meanwhile, explaining Sri Lanka's foreign policy of the middle path, the President said that helping small countries like Sri Lanka develop at a pace similar to the rest of the world was the best move to counter regional power authorities. He also urged the EU to positively look at Sri Lanka as an investment hub. (Lahiru Pothmulla)