News

Speaker dismisses issues being raised over Premalal becoming MP

Published

4 years ago

2020/09/12

Sahan Weerasooriya

Says it should have been raised in court

By Saman Indrajith

It was too late to make an issue of Premalal Jayasekera (SLPP) becoming an MP, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena told Parliament on Thursday, adding that it should have been raised in the Court of Appeal before it decided to allow Jayasekera to take oaths.

The Speaker said so when Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa raised objections to Jayasekera taking oaths as an MP while on death row for a murder.

Raising a point of order, Opposition Leader Premadasa said that by allowing Jayasekera to take oaths the Speaker had set a wrong precedent. “In 1982, Selvarajah Yogachandran, also known as Kuttimani, one of the leaders of the TELO, was nominated to Parliament. His name was gazetted to become an MP. However, the then Speaker Bakeer Markar citing the Sections 89 and 91 of the Constitution did not permit Yogachandran to take oaths as an MP because the latter had been sentenced to death. Yogachandran too had appealed against the sentence. That is the precedent in Parliament. That should not have been breached as per section 91 (1) (a) of the Constitution no person shall be qualified to be elected as a Member of Parliament or to sit and vote in Parliament if he is or becomes subject to any of the disqualifications specified in Article 89. The Section 89 (d) of the Constitution says that, no person shall be qualified to be an elector at an election of the President, or of the Members of Parliament or to vote at any referendum if he is under sentence of death and he will lose his right to vote under such a sentence. The Speaker by the act of permitting Jayasekera to take oaths violated the Constitutional provisions.

Speaker Abeywardena:

It is too late and this is not the forum to raise the matter. You should have raised it at the Court of Appeal before it decided to permit Jayasekera to take oaths. The court informed Parliament of its ruling to permit Jayasekera to sit here. We carried out that order.

Opposition Leader Premadasa:

We are not talking of the duty of judges or how they are appointed. What we are talking about is the violation of the constitution and a parliamentary precedent. The Speaker should have followed the example set by former Speakers Bakeer Markar and Anura Bandaranaike, who said Parliament was above the judiciary. We are in no way casting aspersions on Jayasekera. This is not a matter against him personally. We are talking of the matter in principle.

Chief Opposition Whip Kandy District MP Lakshman Kiriella:

When the court gave an order the former Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake could not be subjected to questions of a parliamentary select committee, the then speaker Chamal Rajapaksa ignored the court order stating that Parliament was not bound to follow court orders.

The speaker:

That is a separate issue. It has nothing to do with the issue at hand.

Chief Opposition Whip Kiriella:

You said that you followed the court order to permit Jayasekera to take oaths. You should have followed the precedent and not permitted the murder convict to take oaths.

Leader of the House Minister Dinesh Gunawardena:

The speaker has given a ruling on the matter. It cannot be debated. That is against the Standing Orders. Now, on the pretext of points of order, the Opposition keeps discussing a past issue. This matter is over. These points of order are causing a great injustice to people who voted for MP Jayasekera. You cannot raise points of order to discuss a matter pertaining to a ruling of the Speaker. If there is a matter against the ruling of the chair, then there is a procedure to be followed in addressing it. You have to bring it in the form of a substantive motion. There you have provisions to raise the issue in a motion. Then we could debate it here.

Kurunegala District SJB MP Nalin Bandara Jayamaha:

The executive, legislature and the judiciary are the three main pillars of government. The speaker is the head of legislature. The act of allowing Jayasekera to become an MP, has now gone beyond the borders of this country. It is now reported in The Guardian and The New York Times. Those reports have mentioned your name too. This is a great dishonor to this legislature. The matter should be taken seriously.

Speaker Abeywardena said that the matter was hindering other business of parliament and moved the House to the next item on the agenda.

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News

Some VIP security units disbanded, special ‘motivation incentive allowance’ abolished, with some exceptions

Published

56 mins ago

2024/10/10

Sahan Weerasooriya

AVM Thuyakontha

Defence Secy. assures regular entitlements won’t be curtailed

Defence Secretary retired Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyakontha has assured the armed forces that contrary to claims, reports and speculation, the NPP government will not curtail various entitlements provided to them.

The declaration was made at the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Headquarters at the Defence Headquarters Complex, Pelawatte, on Monday (Oct 07).

AVM Thuyakontha, who was in the centre of controversy in the run-up to the presidential election over his support for Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s candidature and blacklisted by the SLAF, visited several divisions of Air Force HQ accompanied by the Air Force Commander Air Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa and other senior officers.

Military Liaison Officer of the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Padman de Costa also joined the Defence Secretary on his visit to the Air Force HQ.

During the war, Thuyakontha served as the Commanding Officer of the famed 09 Squadron consisting of Mi-24 helicopter gunships.

AVM Thuyakontha reiterated the government’s commitment to the general welfare of the armed forces.

However, the government has declared that what is called ‘motivation incentive allowance’ paid to security forces personnel attached to security units of former VIPs was stopped from Sept. 22, the day after the presidential election.

The Defence Ministry has informed the Army, Navy and Air Force commanders that there was no requirement for ‘motivation incentive allowance’ as the provision of such security has been discontinued.

According to the Defence Ministry, only security units attached to the Chief of Defence Staff, three service commanders and former presidents would continue to receive the special allowance. (SF)

News

US strengthens SLAF maritime surveillance squadron

Published

58 mins ago

2024/10/10

Sahan Weerasooriya

File picture of Beechcraft King Air 360ER

The SLAF will officially take delivery of Beechcraft King Air 360ER aircraft, donated by the United States at the Katunayake airbase.

The US Embassy in Colombo said that funded by the U.S. Department of Defense’s Building Partner Capacity programme was part of a long-term collaboration with the Sri Lanka Air Force.

“This advanced aircraft is designed to enhance Sri Lanka’s capabilities in search and rescue operations, drug interdiction, and combating trafficking and smuggling. It will also significantly improve the country’s maritime surveillance operations while reinforcing U.S.-Sri Lanka defense cooperation,” the Embassy said.

The Beechcraft King Air 360ER is equipped with cutting-edge technology to boost Sri Lanka’s ability to patrol its waters and address maritime threats.

The aircraft would be assigned to the Number 03 Maritime Squadron based in China Bay, Trincomalee. The squadron comprises Indian and American surveillance aircraft and would be joined before end of this year by an aircraft donated by Australia.

News

FDI depends on transparency and ‘streamlined policies’

Published

59 mins ago

2024/10/10

Sahan Weerasooriya

President Dissanayake and Ambassador Lee

– South Korean envoy

South Korean Ambassador Miyon Lee has assured President Anura Kumara Dissanayake of their readiness to resume investments here.

A statement issued by ROK Embassy in Colombo quoted Ambassador Lee as having reaffirmed willingness among Korean companies to recommence investments in Sri Lanka and expressed expectations on Sri Lanka’s commitment towards maintaining transparency and streamlined policies to attract Foreign Direct Investment for the country.

Ambassador Lee discussed the issue when she paid a courtesy call on President Dissanayake yesterday (09) at the Presidential Secretariat.

During the meeting, Ambassador Lee congratulated President Dissanayake on his inauguration and also conveyed best wishes from President Yoon Suk Yeol and his expectations to bolster the relationship between the two countries under the new leadership.

Ambassador Miyon Lee expressed the Korean government’s unwavering support to Sri Lanka with the continuation of people-to-people exchanges, cooperation in education, health and various other sectors. While expressing Korea’s intention to collaborate on digitalization, climatic change initiatives and in the renewable energy sector, she elaborated the role of the Korean government agencies such as KOICA, KOFIH and Saemaul Foundation working in Sri Lanka and called for Sri Lankan government’s continued support for various activities steered by these agencies in this country.

In line with the commitments set out by the International Monetary Fund, the Ambassador wished Sri Lanka for a successful Debt Restructuring Programme and emphasized the commitments by Korea Exim Bank to renew the framework agreement for loan projects to Sri Lanka.