Commonwealth assures support to strengthen democracy in Sri Lanka

Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Secretary General Stephen Twiggs yesterday said the Commonwealth will support strengthening the democracy and security of Sri Lanka’s Parliament as well as its members.

The Secretary General, who is on an official visit to Sri Lanka, expressed the Commonwealth’s support to Sri Lanka when he met with Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena.

He expressed his deep concern over the recent acts of violence against parliamentarians and said that CPA would provide support to strengthen democracy and security of members and staff of the Parliament of Sri Lanka.

Twiggs also agreed to look into the Prime Minister’s request to expand the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s training programs for Parliamentarians and parliamentary staff members in Sri Lanka to include members and staff of local Government bodies.

The Prime Minister also asked him to support the resumption of internships in the UK to help university students go to rural areas for short periods to help teach English in rural schools. Prime Minister Gunawardena, who enlightened the Secretary General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association about the development of Westminster-style parliamentary democracy in Sri Lanka after the introduction of universal suffrage 91 years ago, expressed his gratitude for the continuous support given to Sri Lanka.

He briefed the delegation on President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s proposal to establish a climate change university in Sri Lanka and the Secretary General said that he would look into how to support the proposed university under the Commonwealth’s official charter.

The Premier also explained the proposed reform programs to increase the representation of women and youth in the Parliament of Sri Lanka and local Government bodies.

Twiggs also said the Asia Region of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Union will soon be opened in Sri Lanka.

The Asia region consists of eight legislatures – including the national parliaments of Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the Maldives, as well as sub-national legislatures in Pakistan. CPA Asia runs a number of programs inter-regionally. The Secretary General said Commonwealth women parliamentarians are very active across the region. The CPA Asia Regional Secretariat is currently located in the Parliament of Sri Lanka.

Prime Minister’s Secretary Anura Dissanayake, Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Head of Strategy and Engagement Emily Davies and Parliamentary Acting Secretary General Kushani Rohanadeera were also present for this meeting.