News
Attention of parliamentary committee drawn to need for expert assistance
Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake addressing the gathering. Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, MP Angajan Ramanathan and Minister Dinesh Gunawardena look on (pic courtesy Parliament)
Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake said that the attention of the Parliamentary Liaison Committee had been drawn to the need to seek the assistance of experts and researchers for special committees such as the Committee on Public Finance, the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) and the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA).
A number of Committee Chairpersons who participated in this Committee meeting expressed their views in this regard and pointed out the need to obtain the contribution of experts in various fields including economics.
The meeting chaired by Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, was attended by the Leader of the House and Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, Chairman of the Committee on Public Finance Anura Priyadarshana Yapa and the Minister of Trade Bandula Gunawardane.
MP Anura Priyadarshana Yapa pointed out that the assistance of experts as well as researchers was very much needed as committees such as the Committee on Public Finance had to meet daily during the budget period and had to discuss and approve economic and financial regulations.
Leader of the House and Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena who approved that stance also stated that it was very important to seek the assistance of experts for special committees. He also said that the possibility of amending the Standing Orders and holding Ministerial Consultative Committee meetings within the Ministry should be explored and through that more officials could be involved.
In addition, attention was drawn to the possibility of holding committees with public engagement such as the Committee on Public Petitions outside Parliament, the Secretary General said. He also said that the members of the committee had instructed him to look for a place to use a government building outside the parliament premises for the purpose.
The Minister of Trade Bandula Gunawardane as well as Minister of Environment Mahinda Amaraweera pointed out the need for researchers to make the MPs more aware of the issues that needed to be addressed during parliamentary debates.
The Liaison Committee meets once in two months under the chairmanship of the Speaker. At the meeting the Secretary General said that officials were currently being contacted online at many committee meetings and that steps had also been taken to update the website and make the information of the committees more accessible to the public.
The Secretary General said that the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) meetings and the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) meetings were recorded and broadcast. With the permission of the Chairpersons of other Committees, press releases were issued to the media through the Department of Communication of Parliament, he said.
Leader of the House Minister Gunawardena requested the Speaker to look into the possibility of holding Ministerial Consultative Committee meetings at the relevant ministry premises as it is possible to obtain the contribution of a large number of officials.
A discussion between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and senior officials of the Urban Development Authority (UDA) was held this afternoon (18) at the Presidential Secretariat.
The meeting focused extensively on new development projects planned by the Urban Development Authority. The President emphasised the need to ensure that the budgetary allocations made for these projects in the current year are utilised effectively within the same financial year.
Detailed discussions were also held on projects planned to be implemented jointly by multiple institutions, including the importance of holding consultations with all relevant agencies to reach final decisions and the need to clearly define responsibilities for each institution in both implementation and maintenance phases of the projects.
Attention was drawn to key initiatives such as the Kelani River flood control project, water management projects in Colombo city and the Beira Lake restoration project. The need for a dedicated programme for low-income housing in areas such as Ratmalana and Moratuwa was also highlighted. During the discussion, Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development Bimal Rathnayake underscored the importance of introducing a structured management framework for the effective coordination of certain projects.
Deputy Minister of Urban Development, Eranga Gunasekara, Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development, Senior Professor Kapila C.K. Perera, Chairman of the Urban Development Authority (UDA), M.G. Hemachandra and the Heads representing the Urban Settlement Development Authority (USDA), Sri Lanka Land Development Corporation (SLLDC), National Physical Planning Department (NPPD) and the Condominium Management Authority (CMA) were also present at the meeting.
(PMD)
News
CEAT Kelani Branch Inter-Company Employees’ Union makes donation to the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund
The Inter-Company Employees’ Union of the Kelaniya Branch of CEAT Sri Lanka has made a financial donation of Rs. 1,148,000.00, a day’s salary of its members to the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund established to support the restoration of livelihoods and the rebuilding of areas affected by cyclone Ditwah.
Secretary of the Inter-Company Employees’ Union of the CEAT Kelani Branch, D.G.S.D. Navaratne, handed over the donation to the Chief of Staff to the President, Prabhath Chandrakeerthi at the Presidential Secretariat this morning (18).
Treasurer of the Inter-Company Employees’ Union of the CEAT Kelani Branch, Y.P.I.C. Karunathilaka, together with members of the Executive Committee, were also present on the occasion.
(PMD)
Latest News
Prime Minister off to the United Kingdom to participate in the 22nd Annual Commonwealth Education Forum
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya departed on an official visit to the United Kingdom to participate in the 22nd Annual Commonwealth Education Forum and the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) 2026 Board of Governors Meeting.
During the visit, the Prime Minister is scheduled to participate in several high-level academic and diplomatic engagements aimed at strengthening cooperation in the fields of education, development studies, research collaboration, and international partnerships.
As part of the visit, the Prime Minister will meet with Ms.Bridget Phillipson, Secretary of State for Education of the United Kingdom, at the UK Department for Education, to discuss areas of cooperation in education and related sectors. She is also expected to meet Ms.Yvette Cooper, Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, for discussions on matters of bilateral interest and cooperation between Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom.
In addition, the Prime Minister is expected to meet Ms.Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, on the sidelines of the 22nd Annual Commonwealth Education Forum and the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) 2026 Board of Governors Meeting.
During the visit, the Prime Minister will attend a public event at the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex and she will also take part in the ceremony marking the 60th Anniversary of the Institute of Development Studies. The Prime Minister is also scheduled to address a session at the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies at the University of Oxford, followed by a question-and-answer session with scholars and students.
The visit is expected to strengthen Sri Lanka’s engagement with academic institutions, international development partners, and Commonwealth member states, particularly in the areas of education, research, policy dialogue, and capacity building.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
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CEAT Kelani Branch Inter-Company Employees’ Union makes donation to the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund
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