Former Prime Minister and United National Party (UNP) leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said he and a group of parliamentarians had drafted a bill as there was a need for a strong legal framework to control the coronavirus epidemic and although it was offered to the government for discussion, the government had not shown any response.

Addressing a rally in Biyagama on Tuesday, the former Premier said the bill, named the Public Health Emergency Needs Bill, was prepared by him together with other legal experts led by former Member of Parliament President’s Counsel MA Sumanthiran.

Mr. Wickremesinghe said that many countries in the world had enacted laws to combat the coronavirus epidemic and that if there was such a legal system, it would be possible to maintain the normal lives of the people without severely being affected even in the event of an epidemic.

Mr. Wickremesinghe also said that the first thing to be done after winning a UNP government is to pass the Public Health Emergency Needs Bill.

 
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