The Hon. M.L.A.M. Hizbullah

¶ 01 Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim.

¶ 02 Hon. Presiding Member, I move the following Adjournment Motion:

¶ 03 “According to the report of the Panambalana Committee appointed in 1999 to consider the establishment of Divisional Secretariats, and in terms of the Cabinet Paper of the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government, it was recommended to establish eight new Divisional Secretariat Divisions. Among them is the Koralaipattu Central Divisional Secretariat.

¶ 04 It has been stated that the new Koralaipattu Central Divisional Secretariat comprises 11 Grama Niladhari divisions.

¶ 05 Accordingly, out of those eight, seven Divisional Secretariat divisions have had their boundaries defined and were published by the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government in the Gazette. However, Koralaipattu Central including 11 Grama Niladhari divisions has not yet been gazetted.

¶ 06 As a result, the Divisional Secretary faces many difficulties in properly performing duties within the area of authority. Consequently, the people living in the area and the relevant officials are unable to resolve issues effectively.

¶ 07 Therefore, I request the Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government to take immediate steps to publish in the Gazette the Koralaipattu Central Divisional Secretariat comprising 11 Grama Niladhari divisions.”

¶ 08 Hon. Presiding Member, the Panambalana Commission appointed in 1999 recommended eight new Divisional Secretariats for Sri Lanka. Based on the Cabinet decision of 13.07.2000, those eight DS divisions were created and have been functioning for 25 years. Six of them have already been gazetted with defined boundaries and are functioning properly. However, for Batticaloa District, two divisions recommended—Koralaipattu Central and Koralaipattu South—are still not gazetted. For 25 years, the Divisional Secretaries there have functioned without clear boundaries, and ordinary citizens are unable to get their issues resolved. For example, someone from Koralaipattu Central goes to that DS office and is told to go to Vakarai; when they go there, they are sent to Kiran. People have been running from pillar to post for 25 years.

¶ 09 We also note reports that yesterday’s Cabinet has approved appointing a new Delimitation Committee to review earlier committee reports of 2012 and 2020. We welcome this. Yet since the Panambalana Commission’s recommendations were accepted 25 years ago, they should have been implemented. If further delays occur, functions should proceed as they previously stood to ensure fairness.

¶ 10 Hon. Minister, we must not sow ethnic discord. Today, in Batticaloa District, Tamils and Muslims live with greater harmony than before. Resolve this through consultations in a way that does not create ethnic tensions. I conclude. Thank you.