Keep the PSC focussed

Monday, 22 August 2011 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The proposed Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) has an important mandate. The fact that it has been tasked with finding a path to national unity as well as finding political measures to realise these ends makes it one of the most important institutions convened in modern times.

According to reports over the weekend, 13 Cabinet Ministers are among the 18 Parliamentarians who have given notice of a motion in Parliament last week. They want it listed in the Addendum to the Order Book No. 4 of Parliament. The proposed Parliamentary Select Committee, they have said, should recommend to the House within six months the initiative appropriate to achieve political and constitutional measures. These include enhancing the unity of the people of Sri Lanka, further empowering the people to work as a nation and enabling the people to take decisions.

This is a positive move as it gives a deadline for achieving results. Six months is a reasonable amount of time for all the parties to gather their ideas and present a practical mechanism for achieving the PSC’s mandate.

For this purpose, the motion says, that the committee and its chairman shall be nominated by the Speaker and that notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order 95, the committee shall consist of not more than 31 members. It is important that these members encompass all ethnicities for the proposals and measures to have credibility and be accepted by all people. Otherwise the point of the PSC would be lost.

The motion is based on three different grounds. First is that a unique opportunity has arisen for the people of Sri Lanka to unite and work together as a nation towards the economic, social and political development of the country and its citizens. The second is that to this end it is opportune to take steps to enhance the unity of the people of Sri Lanka and empower them to take decisions and engage in actions towards their economic, social and political development.

The third is that a Select Committee of Members of Parliament, being a committee of elected representatives of the people, is best equipped to determine the nature and scope of steps to be taken to enable the reasons stated above.

The motion, among other matters, says that the PSC is empowered to summon such persons and documents as it deemed necessary, examine on oath or affirmation persons so summoned, continue notwithstanding adjournment of Parliament from time to time and submit interim reports from time to time.

All these points sound great on paper but enacting them is a huge challenge. Empowering people also means equipping the minority to make their sentiments heard. For this an environment that accepts dissent must be created. Officials and public must understand that there is room for different opinions and ideas to be voiced and discussed.

The PSC is also not supposed to tiptoe around the issue of political devolution as that would defeat the purpose of its appointment. It must first address the most urgent points of power devolution for that is where the greatest threat to Sri Lanka’s unity resides. By broadening its mandate, the PSC must not lose sight of what should be at the top of its ‘to do’ list.