Creativity, Relevance and Need of the Hour! The New Constitution

Throw away any drafts of past Constitutions, or any that we may wish to emulate. None of them suit Sri Lanka, as we are a Nation of Lotus Eaters, and must be of relevance to that ONLY.

Firstly, Primacy of the Rights of Man – defining especially those who are considered Minority, Elderly, Disabled, Children, Women, (Eunuchs and Transexuals, Bisexuals, Lesbians and Homosexuals having reasonable safeguards from discrimination)

Secondly, The rights of the animals who live on this island, both in the wild, (including Butterflies, Dragonflies, Bees and Wasps) and those in captivity, and being used for mans satiation. (including captive birds, dogs and cats, chickens and fighting cocks, cattle and pigs, donkeys,  horses and ponies and even Cobras used by snake charmers – you get the point!)

Thirdly, The rights of food producing trees and plants, and those used for forests and hardwood, mainly of the balance between the Native and Foreign Species. The preservation of native varieties, for propagation and consumption in the future (in paddy seed alone there are documented over 1000 native varieties)

Constitutionally guaranteed forest cover to be a minimum of 50% of the total land mass excluding INLAND waterways. It should define re-growth and partial return of forest to abandoned tea lands, which will see about 50% of existing tea land reverting to forest within the next 50 years as manual labor becomes not practical and robotic machines cannot be substituted.

The management of the 200 mile economic zone around the Island, will affect the future, & MUST be included in constitutional guarantees from exploitation, and irreversible pollution, and permanent damage to the environment. The human traffic management of the bridge across the Palk Strait, accounted for.

The path to Organic Island status over this period, that will have to be matched with holistic nutrition management and health and wellness programs, enshrined in rights of the people. Agricultural practices for such preservation will be included. In a global world, where the Sea can be polluted by others, pressure on living draw people from all over the world to Sri Lanka, the management of the carrying capacity of non Citizens be they, tourists, businessmen retirees settled, or permanent residents must be defined and adopted.

Currently, NO Constitution on earth considers all of the above for starters!