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Opposition: Parliament prorogued to derail finance committee probes

Published

2 years ago

2024/02/6

Sahan Weerasooriya

Prof. G.L.

By Shamindra Ferdinando

The recent prorogation of Parliament was intended to disrupt the workings of six parliamentary committees which dealt with public finance, Prof. G. L. Peiris alleged yesterday (05).

Addressing the media at his Kirula Road residence, the former External Affairs Minister said President Ranil Wickremesinghe prorogued Parliament with the sole intention of disrupting ongoing investigations handled by those six committees.

The dissolved mechanisms were the Public Finance Commission, the Public Accounts Committee, Committee on Public Enterprises, Economic Stabilization Committee, Ways and Means Committee and Banking Sector and Financial Management Committee. According to Prof. Peiris out of 91 committees, 64 have been dissolved.

Yesterday’s briefing was the second given by SLPP National List MP Prof. Peiris since he switched his allegiance to Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa late last year.

President Wickremesinghe and the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) owed an explanation regarding the sudden prorogation of Parliament, the internationally renowned law academic said. The lawmaker asserted that the disruption of important committees eased pressure on those under investigation.

The UNP leader has prorogued Parliament twice since being elected the President by Parliament in late July 2022. Wickremesinghe first prorogued Parliament at midnight on January 27, 2023, in terms of powers vested in him under Article 70(1) of the Constitution. Accordingly, the fourth session of the 9th Parliament commenced on Feb 08, 2023.

President Wickremesinghe brought the fourth session to an end with the prorogation announced on January 26, 2024 and the fifth session would begin tomorrow (07), Prof. Peiris said.

The first session of the 9th Parliament was held from August 20, 2020 to December 12, 2021, and the second session was held from January 18, 2022 to July 28, 2022. Accordingly, the third session of the 9th Parliament began on August 3, 2022, and by the time the session ended yesterday (27), the Parliament had met for 58 days.

Lawmaker Peiris questioned the rationale in dissolving key committees thereby forcing Parliament to reconstitute them ahead of the presidential elections scheduled for later this year, most probably during the Sept-Oct period.

The ex-Minister asserted that the President and the SLPP obviously didn’t want the committees to function in the run-up to the presidential poll as they would have dug up embarrassing material in relation to the incumbent government.

However, the recent arrest and remanding of Environment Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, over his alleged involvement with the procurement of fake human immunoglobulin during his tenure as the Health Minister, has exposed the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government, Prof. Peiris said.

The MP emphasized that 113 MPs who voted against a no-confidence motion in early September last year that targeted Keheliya Ranbukwella, too, should be held responsible. The Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government shielded the then Health Minister Rambukwella because it didn’t care about a spate of complaints regarding the deterioration of health services, Prof. Peiris said.

Prof. Peiris said that President Wickremesinghe and Premier Dinesh Gunawardena stood by Minister Rambukwella. The SLPP, too, should state its position regarding the Rambukwella affair.

Alleging that Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena served the interests of the President and the government, Prof. Peiris said that the SJB leader would spearhead efforts to move a no-faith motion against the Speaker. Prof. Peiris cited the endorsement of the certificate on the ‘Online Safety Bill’ by Speaker Abeywardena the primary reason for the no-faith motion.

Prof. Peiris said that regardless of him, along with parliamentarians M.A. Sumanthiran and Gevindu Cumaratunga, pointing out the illegality of the process adopted in the enactment of the new law, Speaker Abeywardena endorsed the certificate on the ‘Online Safety Bill.’

Parliament confirmed that the authorization of the ‘Online Safety Bill’ and the party leaders’ meeting, where the issue was raised by lawmakers, happened on February 1.

Prof. Peiris said that regardless of the Speaker’s authorization, the government couldn’t rectify the severe shortcomings in the new law as the ruling party failed to incorporate recommendations made by the Supreme Court in response to petitions filed against the ‘Online Safety Law.’

The Committee Stage, where the SC recommendations were to be inserted, was nothing but a farce, hence the decision to move a no-faith motion, Prof. Peiris alleged.

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Maldivian President plants a sapling to mark 60 years of Sri Lanka–Maldives Diplomatic Relations

Published

2 hours ago

2026/05/4

Priyan

President of the Maldives, Dr Mohamed Muizzu, who is on a State Visit to Sri Lanka at the invitation of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, planted a sapling this afternoon (04) at Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo to commemorate 60 years of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

Upon arrival at the Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo, President Dr Mohamed Muizzu was warmly received by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Children lined both sides of the pathway holding the national flags of the two countries and paid tribute to the visiting Maldivian President.

Among those present at the occasion were Deputy Speaker Rizvi Salih, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath and the Mayor of Colombo, Vraie Cally Balthazaar, along with several other dignitaries.

[President’s Media Division (PMD)]

News

Sri Lanka and Maldives strengthen ties with productive bilateral talks

Published

2 hours ago

2026/05/4

Priyan

Following the bilateral meeting between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu of the Maldives, who is currently on a State visit to Sri Lanka, official-level bilateral discussions between the delegations of the two countries were held this morning (04) at the Presidential Secretariat.

The discussions commenced after the formal welcome ceremony accorded to President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu earlier this morning within the Presidential Secretariat premises.

Extending a warm welcome to the Maldivian President, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake expressed his appreciation for accepting the invitation to visit Sri Lanka.

President Dissanayake noted that President Muizzu’s visit, taking place as the two nations mark 61 years of diplomatic relations, reflects the strong partnership, mutual trust and longstanding friendship between Sri Lanka and the Maldives. The President further expressed confidence that the visit would mark a new phase in bilateral relations.

The two leaders engaged in extensive discussions on ways to further expand and diversify multifaceted cooperation, including economic, cultural and social ties, in a manner that delivers mutual benefits to the people of both countries.

Key areas of focus included tourism promotion, educational cooperation, youth and sports development, challenges faced by both nations in the fisheries sector within the Indian Ocean region, education and vocational training, as well as defence training and broader security cooperation.

Representing the Government of Sri Lanka were Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning, Anil Jayantha Fernando, Minister of Science and Technology, Krishantha Abeysena; Deputy Speaker Rizvie Salih, Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retired), Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (covering Europe, North America, East Asia and Oceania, Southeast Asia and Central Asia, South Asia, the Middle East and Legal Affairs) M. R. K. Lenagala, Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to the Maldives, Mohamed Rizvi Hassan and Director (South Asia and SAARC) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Mahesha Jayawardena.

The Maldivian delegation included Minister of Foreign Affairs Iruthisham Adam, Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Mohamed Saeed, Minister of Fisheries, Agriculture and Marine Resources, Ahmed Shiyam, Minister of Homeland Security and Technology, Ali Ihusaan, Chief of Staff to the President, Abdulla Fayaz, Principal Secretary to the President on Foreign Relations, Mohamed Naseer; Chief Government Spokesperson, Mohamed Hussain Shareef, High Commissioner of the Maldives to Sri Lanka,Masood Imad; Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Chief of Protocol , Mohamed Shahudy, Deputy Minister at the President’s Office, Mr Mohamed Hassaan and Minister Counsellor at the Maldives High Commission in Sri Lanka, Mr. Ismail Mamdhooh.

[President’s Media Division (PMD)]

News

Maldives and Sri Lanka exchange seven MOUs

Published

3 hours ago

2026/05/4

Priyan

Seven Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), signed across several sectors between the Maldives and Sri Lanka, were formally exchanged this morning (04) at the Presidential Secretariat in the presence of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu of the Maldives.

Marking a new chapter in Maldives–Sri Lanka relations, the MoUs cover cooperation in the fields of health, sports, tourism, education and defence.

Accordingly:

1. MoU on Tourism Cooperation between the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the Republic of Maldives was exchanged by Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath.

2. MoU on Archiving Cooperation between the Department of National Archives of Sri Lanka and the National Archives of the Maldives was exchanged by Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath.

3. MoU on Training and Professional Development of Teachers and School Leaders between the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Skills Development of the Maldives and the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education of Sri Lanka was exchanged by Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath.

4. MoU on Sports and Youth Development Cooperation between the Republic of Maldives and the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka was exchanged by Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Sunil Kumara Gamage.

5. MoU on Defence Cooperation between the National Counter Terrorism Centre of the Maldives and the Ministry of Defence of Sri Lanka was exchanged by the Maldives High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Masood Imad, and the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retired).

6. MoU between the Ministry of Defence and National Service of the Maldives and General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University of Sri Lanka was exchanged by the Maldives High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Masood Imad and the Vice Chancellor of General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Rear Admiral Dammika Kumara.

7. MoU on Academic Cooperation between the University of Colombo of Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Health, Family and Welfare of the Maldives was exchanged by Maldives High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Masood Imad and the Vice Chancellor of the University of Colombo, Professor Indika Mahesh Karunathilake.

The state visit of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, undertaken at the invitation of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, aims to further strengthen economic, cultural and social ties between the two countries, while enhancing their multifaceted partnership.

Cabinet Ministers, government officials and members of the Maldivian delegation, representing both Sri Lanka and the Maldives, were present at the occasion.

[President’s Media Division]