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Opportunity for backbenchers to ask two questions each during adjournment time

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Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena yesterday announced that the Committee on Parliamentary Business had decided to allow the backbenchers to ask questions related to a matter of urgent public importance, during the adjournment time, the Communication Department of the Parliament said in a communique yesterday (5)

Accordingly, on the dates allotted for motions at the adjournment time, 20 minutes out of the allotted one hour have been set aside for the hearing of two ” Questions at the Adjournment time”.

The Speaker also said that during the days allotted for motions at the adjournment time, only two questions each would be allowed for the government and the opposition, respectively. Accordingly, five minutes will be allotted for the relevant MP to ask the question and five minutes will be allotted for the relevant Minister to answer the question.

Questions at the Adjournment time are limited to ‘matters of urgent public importance’ and the Speaker will decide whether the relevant questions are of urgent public importance.

Any Member of Parliament may submit a question at the adjournment time personally or by fax or e-mail to the relevant Chief Whip and the signature of the relevant MP should be placed.

Any such question should be sent by the relevant Chief Whip to the Secretary General of Parliament by 10.00 am on the previous day. The Secretary General of Parliament will send the matter to the Secretary to the Leader of the House before 12.00 noon thus that the relevant Minister can be informed.



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SF claims thousands of police and military personnel leaving

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By Saman Indrajith

Thousands of police and military personnel had left the services recently as they did not want to carry out illegal orders, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka told Parliament yesterday. According to the war-winning army commander 200 policemen have resigned during the past two months and 25,000 soldiers have left the army during the last two years.

“We urged the law enforcement and military officials not to follow illegal orders. We will reinstate them with back pay,” he said.

Fonseka also urged the President and the government MPs not to take people for fools.

“Sri Lanka owes 55 billion dollars to the world. Ranil’s plan is to borrow another seven billion during the next four years. So, in four years we will owe 62 billion to the world.

Ranil and his ministers ask us what the alternative to borrowing is. These are the people who destroyed the economy and society. They must leave. Then, we will find an alternative and develop the country,” he said, adding that the IMF loans had made crises in other nations worse.

“Ranil says that by 2025, we will have a budget surplus as in Japan, Germany and South Korea. These countries are economic power houses, and this comparison is ludicrous.”

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CEB hit by exodus of technical staff

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By Shiran Ranasinghe

At least five technical personnel of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) resigned daily for overseas employment, a senior CEB official said.They included electrical engineers, electricians and foremen, he added.

“Most of them are quitting due to the economic crisis while others are simply disillusioned. Trained and experienced technical staff are in high demand in many countries,” he said.

CEB United Trade Union Alliance President Ranjan Jayalal said that the CEB had lost about 2,000 employees in recent times due to the above reasons.

“We had about 24,000 such personnel a few months ago. Now the number has come down to 22,000. A number of people had to retire on 31 December, 2022.

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Sajith questions sudden decision to charge Rs. 225,000 from students following NDES

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By Saman Indrajith

The government had decided to charge Rs 225,000 from those enrolling at the Institute of Engineering Technology, Katunayake under the National Apprentice and Industrial Training Authority (NAITA), Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said yesterday in Parliament.

Premadasa said that the institute awards the National Diploma in Engineering Sciences (NDES) and no fee was charged from students until 2023.The IET awards the National Diploma in Engineering Sciences under the three major fields of civil, electrical and mechanical engineering, and eight sub-fields.

“This is an institute that has created over ten thousand tier two engineers. NDES is a four year programme,” he said.

The opposition leader said that the sudden decision to charge 225,000 rupees from students at a time when the average Sri Lankan family is facing significant economic challenges is unfair.

“This institute offered free tuition. We should continue this tradition. A large number of engineers are leaving the country and we need to ensure that we have a continuous supply of engineers to ensure we can maintain our essential technical services,” he said.

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