News
Dullas says people have lost faith in Parliament
By Saman Indrajith
SLPP dissident MP Dullas Alahapperuma told Parliament yesterday that citizens of the country today wished for the deaths of all 225 MPs.
He said so while criticizing the government for excluding the dissident SLPP MPs from the COPE (Committee on Public Enterprises).
“There is a serious public opposition, distrust and displeasure against Parliament. At a time when all citizens abhor this Parliament, it is not a prudent decision to fill the COPE positions with the government’s yes-men. I have seen social media posts of people asking whether it is the COPE committee or Pork Committee. Citizens wish and pray nothing but that the 225 MPs may attain nibbana,” Alahapperuma said.
SLPP dissident MP from the Colombo District, Wimal Weerawansa, said that henchmen of “a person who claims to have seven brains” had been appointed to the COPE. If the affairs of this House are conducted as per the wishes of that man, we all must be ashamed of ourselves. We call upon the government to rectify this error immediately,” Weerawansa said.
Chief Opposition Whip Kandy District SJB MP Lakshman Kiriella said that the SJB did not have powers to remove any names that had been originally proposed to the COPE.
SLFP MP Dayasiri Jayasekera said that many MPs with academic qualifications had been overlooked in making appointments to the COPE. ‘My name was there on the list. It has been removed. Dr Sudrashini Fernandopulle was on the COPA, she has been removed. Prof Tissa Vitarana has been removed. Dr Gunapala Rathnasekera has been removed,” Jayasekera said.
SLPP MP Ranjith Bandara said that it was wrong to call some MPs professors and challenged fellow MPs from where those MPs got their professorships. “Mine is a true professorship,” Bandara said.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said that former COPE Chairman Prof. Charitha Herath should be appointed to the COPE once again.
The Ministry of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development has recommended the establishment of Sri Lankan Standards, i.e. the import testing methodology for imported tires used for passenger cars and pneumatic tires for three-wheelers with the aim of ensuring a fair competitive environment for local
manufactures and ensuring consumer safety and security.
Taking into the said recommendations, “Import and Export (control regulations N0.08 of the 2026)” has been enacted to amend the existing regulations by means of the Extraordinary Gazette Notification No. 2508/27 dated 2026-10-01, prescribing Sri Lanka standard 1212 for the import of passenger types (HS Code 4011.10.90) and Sri Lanka standard 1347 for the import of
pneumatic tires for three – wheeled vehicles (HS Code 4011.90.10).
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development to submit the aforementioned regulations to Parliament for approval.
Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted at their meeting held on 02.06.2025 to introduce a new act to promote and providing legal provisions for facilitating the Public Private Joint Enterprises within Sri Lanka as well as the establishment of the National Agency for Public Private Partnership Joint Enterprises.
Accordingly, the Legal Draftsman has formulated the relevant draft bill and the Attorney General has given his clearance to the said draft bill.
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to publish the said
draft bill in the government gazette notification and thereby submit it to the Parliament for its concurrence.
Regulation, development and control of indigenous medical sector in Sri Lanka comprised of Ayurvedha, Sidhdha, Unani, Local Therapies are carried out under the provisions of Ayurvedha Act No. 31 of 1961.
Although amendments were made to the act from time to time as per the requirements, the necessity of further amending the Ayurvedha Act has been identified to enable efficiently maintaining all activities of local medical field productively, further formalizing the regulation of the sector, taking actions to providing licenses applicable to export of local medicines, and achieving the progress and sustainable development goals in the local medical sector.
Based on the said factors, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Health and Mass Media to direct the Legal Draftsman to formulate a draft bill to amend the Ayurvedha Act No. 31 of 1961.
Import and Export (Control) Regulations No. 08 of 2026
Draft Bill of the Public Private Partnership Enterprises Act to be gazzetted
Amendment of the Ayurvedha Act No. 31 of 1961
Cabinet nod to amend the Sri Lanka Development Administration Institute Act No. 9 of 1982
Establishment of the National Higher Performance Centre
State patronage for the cremation ceremony of the late deputy prelate (Anu Nayaka Thero) of the Sri Laka Ramangya Maha Nikaya, Gatambe Rajopawanramadhipatha, Siri Chandawimala Wanshalankara, Chandrakeerthi Sri Amarawansha, Sadhdharmawageeshwara, Shasanashobhanna Most Venerable Keppetiyagoda Siriwimalabhidhana Thero
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