News
Opposition calls for postponement of vote on Port City Bill to discuss it properly
Chief Opposition Whip and Kandy District SJB MP, Lakshman Kiriella on Tuesday, expressed opposition to what he called a government to rush through Parliament the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill without a proper debate.
Addressing the media after meeting the Malwatte Maha Viharaya Anunayake Ven Niyamgoda Vijithasiri Thera and Maha Lekhkadhikari of the Asgiriya Maha Viharaya Ven Medgama Dhammananda Thera, MP Kiriella said: “We learn that the Supreme Court decision on the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill runs to over 300 pages. It has been conveyed to the Speaker, and the House is scheduled to be informed of it on May 18; the vote on the Bill will be taken on the same day. This is a very crucial piece of legislation when considering its impact on all Sri Lankans and the government’s plan to rush through Parliament a Bill of this nature, while the entire country is suffering from the pandemic, is deplorable. Actually, such haste is antithetical to democratic principles. We demand that the debate be postponed so that the people of this country can have a serious discussion on this issue.
“The Malwathu Anunayake Thera, too said that the government and the Opposition should further discuss the matter with the concurrence of the Maha Nayakes of the two main chapters. We should understand the truth that the law is one thing and the regional geopolitics is quite another. The laws do not take into account geopolitical realities, and the Supreme Court may given its ruling on the Bill after considering whether it is consistent or inconsistent with the Constitution. We must realise that the endorsement of the Bill by the Court does not ensure that there will not be unexpected repercussions from the implementation of the Colombo Port City Commission Bill. As MP Wijeyadasa Rajapakse pointed out, there can be the possibility of ships containing nuclear weapons coming into the Port City. What would be the reaction of India in such an eventuality.”
Kiriella said that the Opposition’s main demand was that to make the Colombo Port City Commission an institution responsible to Parliament so that parliamentary committees, including the COPE and COPA, could oversee it to ensure that nothing untoward or detrimental to the national interest would happen there.
SJB Colombo District MP Dr Harsha de Silva was also present at the meetings.
BBC reported that at least 17 people have been killed in an explosion at a mosque in the Pakistani city of Peshawar.
The blast happened when the mosque was packed with worshippers and more than 90 people were injured.
A section of the building was destroyed, and officials say people are buried under the rubble. Several others are being taken to local hospitals.
The cause of the explosion is unclear.
BBC reported that residents in flood-hit northern New Zealand are bracing for more heavy rains as officials issued severe weather alerts.
At least four people have died and a state of emergency was declared in Auckland, which on Friday experienced its worst downpour on record.
by Priyan de Silva
Chairman of the Election Commission of Sri Lanka, Nimal Punchihewa, asked to comment on a special news release, purportedly issued by the Director General of the Department of Government Information, on Sunday (29), told The Island that preparations for the 09 March local government elections were going ahead, as planned, and that the media statement at issue was misleading.
The media statement says: “The gazette notice with signatures of the Chairman and other members of the Election Commission required for the commencement of the Local Government election process has not been sent to the Government Press for printing.”
Punchihewa requested the public not to be misled by any misinformation being spread in an attempt to create doubts in their minds.He also reiterated that the EC would not be deterred by any acts of intimidation.
Three of the EC members have been threatened with death by an unidentified caller to resign from their posts. They are S. B. Divaratne, M. M. Mohamed and K. P. P. Pathirana. The Opposition has accused the government of trying to sabotage the LG polls.
At least 17 killed after explosion in Peshawar mosque
More heavy rain ahead for New Zealand’s largest city
Very heavy showers (150mm) likely in Northern, Eastern, Uva, North Central and Central Provinces
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