Kumaratunge hands over JM document to Buddhist prelates

[TamilNet, Thursday, 23 June 2005, 15:31 GMT]
Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge Thursday handed over copies of the Joint Mechanism (JM) proposal to the Mahanayake Thera of the Asgiriya Chapter Most Venerable Udugama Sri Budddharakita Thera and Mahanayake Thera of Malwatte Chapter Most Venerable Thibbotuwe Sri Siddharatha Sumangala, sources said. The Joint Mechanism defines an administrative structure and aid disbursment protocols to facilitate rehabilitation and reconstruction of tsunami destroyed coastal areas in the northeast province.

Ms Kumaratunge, accompanied by Dr Sarath Amunugama, Minister of Finance paid a visit to Kandy Thursday, sources said.

She earlier assured the Buddhist prelates that she will hand over and discuss the JM proposal with them before tabling it in the parliament. To keep that promise the President visited Kandy, government sources said.

Dr Sarath Amunugama later told media persons in Kandy that JM document would be tabled in parliament Friday, sources said.

Meanwhile, leaders of political parties represented in the parliament decided in a meeting held Thursday afternoon with the Speaker Mr W M J Lokkubandara in the chair, decided to hold a debate on the JM during the adjournment motion.

The time for each party was also allocated at the meeting, parliamentary sources said.