The Government has decided to conduct a comprehensive review of laws across various sectors in the country and to amend the laws and ordinances that require revision. It has also focused on introducing new legislation in a simplified form to make certain legal provisions more accessible and to ensure easier service delivery to the general public, Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government, Professor Chandana Abayaratne, said.
Minister Abayaratne made these remarks while addressing the inaugural session on the introduction of legal reforms for public officials.
The inaugural programme, organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), aimed at updating the existing laws, rules and regulations within Sri Lanka’s public administration system to align with the current digital era. The initiative seeks to ensure greater efficiency, transparency and public trust in the public service while providing a more citizen-friendly service. The event was held at the Cinnamon Lakeside Hotel in Colombo under the patronage of Minister Abayaratne.
Addressing the gathering further, the Minister stated that the Cabinet, headed by the President, had granted the necessary approvals for the programme on two occasions through Cabinet papers. Recommendations have also been provided to subcommittees representing various ministries and thirteen different sectors to carry out the relevant future activities.
He noted that some of Sri Lanka’s laws date back to the British colonial period, and in certain instances, were formulated under the influence of even earlier legal traditions. As a result, several laws are considerably old. However, he emphasized that laws should not be removed solely because of their age, as many contain well-established and proven provisions. Nevertheless, he stressed the need to amend and adapt these laws, ordinances and regulations to suit changing circumstances over time.
The Minister further stated that in 2024, after independence, the people of Sri Lanka — Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims alike — collectively decided that the country required a new journey. This transformation, he said, could relate to political culture, economic processes, national unity, or adopting a renewed approach to engaging with the future global landscape. With these intentions, citizens initiated a new political approach, and in order to strengthen that direction, the Government recognized the need for a broad programme of reforms, including in the legal sphere.
He observed that throughout world history, the introduction of new legal traditions by reforming old ones has taken place during periods when societies strongly felt the need for a fresh opportunity and direction. He described the present period as a similarly significant moment in Sri Lanka’s history.
“How does our country move forward? How do we build its future? How can future sons and daughters and citizens live more happily?” he questioned, adding that the fundamental objective of this process is to create an environment where future generations can progress without facing the hardships experienced by previous generations. He described the reform initiative as a pressing need of the hour.
The Minister expressed appreciation to all parties supporting the initiative, particularly the Special Representative of the United Nations Development Programme and her staff, the Minister of Justice and the Attorney General’s Department, the organizing Ministry, and all officials representing various sectors who participated in the session.
Among those present at the event were Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government S. Aloka Bandara; Secretary to the Ministry of Justice and National Integration, President’s Counsel Ayesha Jinasena; Deputy Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme Marina Ten; Policy Specialist and Head of the Integration Management Team of the United Nations Development Programme Chandrika Karunaratne; Additional Secretary to the Local Administrative Reforms Division of the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government Dr. Roshini Dissanayake; Additional Solicitor General of the Attorney General’s Department, President’s Counsel Ravindra Pathiranage; Director General of the Department of Pensions Chaminda Hettiarachchi; Director of the Legal Affairs Division of the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development A. K. D. D. D. Arandara; as well as staff officers of the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government, Divisional Secretaries and representatives of various government institutions.
