By Saman Indrajith

The SJB says it has no confidence in Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena as the latter.

Addressing the media, in Colombo, yesterday, Chief Opposition Whip and Kandy District MP Lakshamn Kiriella said his party had observed that Speaker Abeywardena did not act impartially. “The latest manifestation of the Speaker’s bias towards the government is his failure to appoint chairmen of parliamentary watchdog committees – the COPA and the COPE. As per the parliamentary traditions, the chairman posts of these two committees should go to the Opposition MPs. At a parliamentary business affairs committee meeting, held on 07 June in the parliamentary complex, I raised this issue and asked the Speaker to make arrangements accordingly.

The Speaker agreed and gave instructions to the officials to proceed with that. Since no action had been taken, we raised this issue in the Chamber and demanded to know the reasons for the delay.

The Speaker gave an assurance to the House that he would give the two top posts of the COPA and the COPE to the Opposition.

Yet, the promise has not been delivered . When I raised this issue again at the last party leaders’ meeting, I was informed that the SLPP MPs were opposed to the proposal. We had to point out that the Speaker was there to protect the interests of the entire Parliament and not those of the government. He gave an undertaking in the Chamber and up to date has failed to act accordingly because of the pressure from the SLPP.