Sectoral Oversight Committee approves three Bills including the Office for National Unity and Reconciliation Bill.

The Sectoral Oversight Committee on Reconciliation and National Unity approved three Bills, namely; the Office for National Unity and Reconciliation Bill, the Mediation Board (Amendment) Bill and the Recognition and Enforcement of International Settlement Agreements Arising resulting from Mediation Bill.

Approval for this was obtained when the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Reconciliation and National Unity met in Parliament recently (02) under the Chairmanship Hon. Dilan Perera, Member of Parliament.

Government officials and representatives from the Ministry of Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reform, the Attorney General’s Department, the Legal Draftsman’s Department, the Office for National Unity and Reconciliation and the Conciliation Board Commission were present at the Committee meeting held.

The Committee deliberated at length on the work done by the Office for National Unity and Reconciliation and the appointment of its members. Accordingly, the Committee decided to inform the Minister of Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms of a recommendation of the Sectoral Oversight Committee regarding the appointment of members for this office.

The officials present also pointed out that attention has also been paid to the establishment of cooperative companies at the rural level. The officials further pointed out that if there is a conflict at the rural level, this office aims to be aware of them at the earliest and prepare for their resolution.

Apart from the said, the Mediation Board (Amendment) Bill and the Bill on the Recognition and Enforcement of International Settlement Agreements Arising resulting from Mediation Bill were also approved post consideration by the Committee.

Hon. G. G. Ponnambalam and Hon. Gevindu Cumaratunga were present at the Committee meeting held.