Senior SJB Parliamentarian Imthiaz Bakeer Markar has called for cross-party support to his private member’s bill tabled in Parliament that seeks to mandate a 25% quota for youth candidates in any upcoming election in Sri Lanka.
“We have understood that the space for young persons without a political background to enter into policy-making is lacking”, said Bakeer Markar, who had entered politics through the UNP’s student’s and youth wings in the 1970s.
He linked Sri Lanka’s multiple youth insurrections in recent decades to the disconnect felt by the country’s youth to the decision-making processes in government.
“Following the troubles and uprisings of the ’80s, the Youth Commission pointed out that the established systems kept youth participation at a low level”, he said.
The Parliamentarian’s call had received significant engagement on social media.
The UN Secretary General’s Envoy on Youth Jayathma Wickramanayake, herself a former youth activist in Sri Lanka, welcomed the proposal today on Twitter tagging Minister of Youth Namal Rajapaksa, calling for support to the bill across party lines.
SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa had signed a pledge, earlier this year, with the party’s youth movement to allocate a quota of 25% of nominations for youth candidates at upcoming elections.
What is a Private Members’ Motion?
The proposals, which are made to Parliament, are known as motions. The motions moved by the ordinary members of Parliament are called Private Members’ Motions. Any member could move any motion on any matter of public interest and such motions are either debated or disposed of. (NewsWire)