Tamil Diplomat

Govt has taken positive steps: Kamalesh Sharma

Samakalam
February 3

Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma has observed that the Commonwealth has noted that the new government has taken positive steps since January 9 and that further measures are contemplated.

He stated these observations in a statement he made at the end of his visit to Sri Lanka. His statement states:

Today I concluded a brief visit to Sri Lanka. The purpose of my visit was primarily to reiterate and renew the Commonwealth’s commitment to work in partnership with Sri Lanka to advance its own national plans. We have successfully identified areas where the Commonwealth will provide practical assistance as the country turns a new and transformative page in its history.

My visit was also an opportunity to provide an update on Commonwealth priorities given Sri Lanka’s continuing two-year role as Commonwealth Chair-in-Office, which commenced at the 2013 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Colombo and will conclude at the next summit of Commonwealth leaders in Malta in November this year.

Sri Lanka is one of the oldest democracies in Asia and is a founding member of the modern Commonwealth. Voters, who last month turned out in impressively large numbers to exercise their democratic right, have once again confirmed this standing. The Commonwealth’s contribution to the 8 January election included the presence of our international observer team and the agreement secured to have domestic observers present at counting centres. I am pleased that the Commonwealth played a part in facilitating a successful electoral process and that this has been highly valued.

We note the positive steps taken by the Government since 9 January and the further measures contemplated. These include a commitment to fundamental governance reforms and strengthening the independence of national institutions; the appointment of civilian governors in the Northern Province and Eastern Province amongst other changes in the provincial administrations; and, the appointment of the new Chief Justice.