• No one seems to be talking about the 21st Amendment now
• The SJB will come up with proposals for more constitutional reforms soon
• The UN statement that five million people in Sri Lanka are suffering from hunger and 56,000 children are suffering from mal nutrition should be taken seriously

By Yohan Perera   

The constitutional reforms have taken a back seat due to rifts within the government, an SJB MP said yesterday.    

SJB MP Imthiaz Bakeer Markar told a media briefing that the enthusiasm which the government had with regard to the 21st Amendment to the constitution had diminished because of the differences between certain groups within the government. “ No one seems to be talking about the 21st Amendment now,” he said.   

The MP said SJB will come up with proposals for more constitutional reforms soon. “ I shall be presenting a private member’s motion to ensure 25 percent youth representation in Parliament during next weeks  house sessions. This is following a decision made by the SJB to bring in such reforms,” he said.   

Meanwhile Bakeer Markar said the UN statement that five million people in Sri Lanka are suffering from hunger and 56,000 children are suffering from malnutrition should be taken seriously. “ Even Prime Minister made similar statements in Parliament and it is important to push the nation through this crisis,” he said.   

“ One cannot get away by concluding that Sri Lanka is only facing an economic issue as the nation is suffering from a severe political crisis. Government does not appear to be moving towards resolving the national crisis but only focusing on wooing members of opposition parties to cross over,” he added.