News
Speaker: MPs borrowed only 330 books from Parliamentary library in 2021
122 of them are novels!
By Saman Indrajith
The MPs’s poor reading habit had led to deterioration of their conduct in the House and made their speeches full of unparliamentary language, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena told Parliament yesterday.
The Speaker said that it was very embarrassing to note that all 225 MPs had borrowed only 330 books from the House library during the whole of last year.
Making a special statement at the commencement of the sittings, the Speaker said that the Members of the House should take note of their conduct during the debates. “Once you have crossed the bar of the House you are considered honourable members of the House of Parliament. The honourable title demands that you speak and behave accordingly in a respectable manner which in turn reflects back on the House. When I first spoke in Parliament I did so after weeks of preparation. Today, very few members prepare before their speeches. According to the information furnished to me by the library only 330 books have been borrowed by the MPs during the year 2021, and 122 of them were fictions. Ninety-four of the books borrowed were on political science and 27 on sociology, only 11 books on economics. Five books on science, four books on law and three books on technology, one book on education, and one book on Sinhala literature among those books borrowed by the MPs.
“For a House of 225 members this is embarrassing. This lack of knowledge and preparation on subjects have led us to insufficient awareness, false allegations, in speeches. Most of the speeches are to score political points. This has led to shameful, unparliamentary conduct. As the Speaker it is my duty to conduct the House affairs productively and ensure the rights of all its members.
“The members must understand that it is their sacred duty to uphold the dignity of this institution. If people lose faith in this House that means they lose faith in democracy. Repercussions of such a situation would be a grave danger for all political parties and citizens of this country. People expect the members of the government and Opposition to act responsibly.”
A discussion with the Catholic Council was held on Thursday (21) afternoon at the Presidential Secretariat under the co-chairmanship of Minister of Science and Technology, Chrishantha Abeysena and Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake.
Discussions focused on administrative issues relating to Catholic schools taken over by the Government, the formulation of a structured teacher cadre system for Catholic religious education, the need to recruit Catholic nuns and priests into the teaching profession and the establishment of a mechanism to obtain the support of the Ministry of Education for the administration of Government-acquired Catholic schools.
It was also decided that discussions with the Catholic Council would be held three times annually, while Senior Additional Secretary to the President Roshan Gamage would serve as Secretary to the forum.
Expressing appreciation on behalf of the Catholic Council, His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith thanked President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the Government for facilitating the discussion.
His Eminence further stated that the expectation was to ensure every student, without discrimination, is given the opportunity to learn his or her own religion and stressed the importance of resolving the prevailing issues within the education sector.
Also present at the occasion were Most Rev. Bishop Harold Anthony Perera, Most Rev. Bishop Christy Noel Emmanuel, Most Rev. Bishop Anton Ranjith, Most Rev. Bishop Wimal Siri Jayasuriya, other clergy representing the Catholic Council, Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Nalaka Kaluwewa and senior officials of the Ministry of Education.
(PMD)
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has decided to broaden the Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy, which was launched last year. Unlike the inaugural edition held in November 2025 that featured eight Associate teams, the second edition will comprise 10 teams, including five Test-playing nations. The tournament is scheduled to be held in November this year.
Italian Navy’s ITS GIOVANNI DELLE BANDE NERE, which arrived in Colombo (21 May 2026) on a replenishment visit, departed the island today (22 May).
The Sri Lanka Navy bade a customary farewell to the departing ship in compliance with naval traditions at the port of Colombo.
During her brief stay in Colombo, the Commanding Officer of the ship, Commander Antonio BUFIS called on the Commander Western Naval Area at the Western Naval Command Headquarters.
Catholic Council reconvenes after nine years
ICC to widen Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy
Italian Navy’s ITS GIOVANNI DELLE BANDE NERE departs following replenishment visit
PM meets Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations
Tennessee execution called off after failed lethal injection
Landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kegalle, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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