Cabinet Spokesperson Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratna announced on Thursday (18^th June) that the President will not provide election nominations to drug barons and anyone remotely connected to the sale of illegal narcotics.

Responding to questions raised during the Cabinet Media Briefing the minister noted that work has already commenced to establish a special unit to apprehend those involved in the sale of narcotics adding that a list of individuals connected to the drug trade is also being drawn up.

Deputy Minister of Media Shantha Bandara speaking to the media stated that as the youth of the SLFP they stand united against the spread of illegal narcotics. He noted that they would present their policies and proposals in this regard to the President.

The discovery of large hauls of drugs in the recent past bear testament that the drug trade has become a major social issue. Drugs which were mainly used in the country by foreign nationals and those who arrive from abroad later spread across the capital and urban areas where tourists gather in large numbers.

Persons involved in the drug trade have been arrested in all 43 Police Divisions in Sri Lanka thus far.

In addition, another astonishing fact that surfaced in the recent past was that it noted in reports that Sri Lanka was a hub in the drug trade. Recently is was also said that politicians too were involved in this trade.

Addressing a media briefing recently Deputy Minister of Social Services and Welfare, Ranjan Ramanayake stated that the parliament is filled with all kinds of thieves and individuals who deal in narcotics and moonshine. The deputy minister noted that if President Sirisena decided to introduce capital punishment for individuals connected to the drug trade then 100 out of the 225 members in parliament would have to face this.

As a solution to this situation, Leaders of many political parties signed the “March 12 Declaration” launched by PAFFREL.In the declaration , 8 factors need to be looked in to when providing nominations for public representatives.

One of the essential common criteria mentioned in the March 12 Declaration was that the public representatives to whom nominations would be given, should not be persons who engage or had engaged in the past in the trades such as alcohol, drugs, gambling, casinos and prostitution that are detrimental to the well-being of the country…”

The March 12 Movement is preparing to obtain 1 Million signatures in order urge that this declaration be endorsed.

Meanwhile Chairman of the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board Dr.Nilanga Samarasingha noted that a decision has been reached to undertake joint operations together with the Police and Customs officials to raid locations that sell and store narcotics.

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