Sri Lankan government Minister highlights power devolution

Sri Lanka's veteran leftist Minister of National Languages and Social Integration Vasudeva Nanayakkara has said that the provisions in the present constitution restrict powers to the provinces and are inadequate to fulfill the aspirations of the Tamil people.


He has told Tamil daily Weerakesari that President Mahinda Rajapaksa could exercise his executive powers to overcome opposition by certain coalition parties of the ruling United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA)and grant autonomy for the Northern Province.

According to him the way forward to solve the ethnic problem is to negotiate and devolve power.

He also pointed out that the central government could retain powers relating to national security and grant police powers to the provinces to deal with crimes.