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Speaker and deputy Speaker
By Saman Indrajith
Senior southern politician Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena was unanimously appointed as the 26th Speaker of Parliament of Sri Lanka yesterday.Abeywardena entered Parliament in 1983 as a UNP MP by winning the Hakmana by-election.
He was one of the two MPs to vote against the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution which came about as a result of the signing of the Indo-Lanka Accord in 1987. He was removed from the UNP for violating party rules and later joined a breakaway faction of the UNP, the DUNF. He joined the SLFP in 2015.
Born on 10th October, 1945 in Makandura, Matara, Yapa Abeywardena received his primary education from Thelijjavila Central College and Rahula College, Matara. He then obtained his first degree from the University of Colombo. He has also received specialised training in Management from the Institute of Management, Chandigarh in India.
From 1993 and 2001 he was a member of the Southern Provincial Council; he served as Chief Minister from 1994 to 2001.
He has also held a number of Ministries such as Health, Cultural Affairs and National Heritage, Irrigation and Rural Development, Industry and Commerce, Parliamentary Affairs and Agriculture.
Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, who was appointed Deputy Speaker completed his primary education at Vandala junior school and later joined Royal College, Colombo.
He first entered Parliament in 2004, as an MP for the Kegalle district. In 2005, he was appointed the Deputy Minister of Finance and Senior Minister under President Mahinda Rajapaksa. In 2007, he also served as the Minister of Finance and Revenue.
During the 2010 parliamentary elections, he was elected to Parliament with the highest number of preferential votes of 146,623 from the Kegalle district. He became the Deputy Minister of Economic Development and the Cabinet Minister of Telecommunication and Information Technology. After the 2015 election, he served as Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, State Ministry of Environment and Cabinet Minister of Power and Renewable Energy.
He was subsequently elected as the State Minister of Education after the victory of Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
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UNESCO Director General candidate Dr. Khaled El Enany meets Deputy Speaker of Parliament of Sri Lanka
Dr. Khaled El Enany – the UNESCO Director General Candidate of the Arab Republic of Egypt met with the Deputy Speaker of Parliament of Sri Lanka Dr. Risvie Salih at the Parliament premises recently (May 05).
During the meeting, both parties reaffirmed the long-standing and cordial bilateral relationship between Egypt and Sri Lanka, emphasizing their shared commitment to further strengthening ties in areas of mutual interest. Dr. El Enany outlined his vision as a candidate for UNESCO leadership, highlighting his dedication to fostering cultural collaboration and understanding among nations. Dr. Risvie Salih also highlighted Sri Lanka’s non-aligned foreign policy and long-standing relationship with Egypt.
The meeting was also attended by the Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt to Sri Lanka, and Chaminda Kularatne, Chief of Staff and Deputy Secretary General of Parliament of Sri Lanka.
Samantha Ranasinghe was sworn in today (May 08) before the Speaker, Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne, as a Member of the Tenth Parliament.
Following the oath and affirmation before the Speaker, he signed the Members’ Roll placed before the Secretary General of Parliament, Mrs. Kushani Rohanadeera.
Member of Parliament Samantha Ranasinghe has been thus appointed to fill the vacancy created due to the demise of Kosala Nuwan Jayaweera, who served as a Member of Parliament from the Kegalle District representing the National People’s Power.
IGP Deshabandhu Tennakoon informed to be present before the Committee of Inquiry on 19th May
UNESCO Director General candidate Dr. Khaled El Enany meets Deputy Speaker of Parliament of Sri Lanka
Samantha Ranasinghe sworn in as a Member of Parliament
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