News
Speaker, Opposition Leader cross swords over special statements
By Saman Indrajith
Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, on Saturday, asked Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa to refrain from causing an affront to the dignity of Parliament. The Speaker said so when the latter attempted to make a special statement after the former denied permission.
The Speaker said that the Opposition Leader had once made a similar statement and raised very similar questions and the Minister of Health and other ministers from the government had responded to them, and therefore it could not be permitted in the House. “In addition the same matter has been raised in various forms in the form of oral questions and as adjournment debates. The most recent instance was on Nov 13 when a debate was held on the same matter and the ministers have responded in detail.”
Opposition Leader Premadasa:
“The Standing Order 36-O states that the same matter should not be raised again and again. I am not raising questions about COVID-19 but problems pertaining to lack of PCR machines and ventilators and antigen tests. I have never spoken about them here. So I have to state the ruling given by the Speaker is wrong. The Speaker deprives us of our right to speak. In addition the Speaker has limited the number of special statements we can make under the Standing Order 27-2 to two a week.”
Speaker Abeywardena:
“The questions raised by the Opposition leader pertaining to the COVID-19 vaccines were answered by Minister Channa Jayasumana. Apart from the similar questions raised by him were responded to on Friday by Minister Namal Rajapaksa. You are trying to disregard the process and procedure in the House. I cannot let you denigrate the dignity of the House.”
The Opposition Leader:
“The Speaker’s opinion is completely wrong. This could be checked with the Secretary General. This is limiting the freedom of speech in the House. Please allow me to make the statement.”
Leader of the House Minister Dinesh Gunawardena:
“The Opposition Leader should learn that a Speaker’s rule is not a matter for debate or questioning. The Speaker has given his ruling on the matter the Opposition Leader intended to raise. His actions cause the time of the House to be wasted. Therefore, I request the House should move on to the debate on the final day of the second reading of the budget 2021.”
The speaker announced that the House should commence its business for the day and Chief Government Whip Highways Minister Johnston Fernando got up to move the House for the debate on budget proposals.
SJB Kurunegala District MP Nalin Bandara, raising a point of order, said the Opposition Leader had attempted to make a statement on a new issue. There could be many problems raised on the COVID-19 pandemic. Not only Minister Namal Rajapaksa, many other MPs in the House have paid their attention to the problem but the problem was yet to be addressed. This is an issue of national importance. If the Speaker would not allow this, it would set a wrong precedence.
SJB Ratnapura District MP Hesha Withanage:
“The number of questions for the backbenchers has been limited. The live telecast of parliamentary proceedings too has been limited purportedly for technical issues. The government has submitted a few questions while the Opposition MPs have submitted over 400 questions to be raised at the time allocated for the Oral Questions session. The number of questions per a day was 15 and now it has been brought down to eight. Today, there is no question time.”
Speaker Abeywardena:
“
Today is Saturday and it has been agreed not to allow questions on Saturday to give more time to the MPs to speak in the debate.”
Badulla District SJB MP Chaminda Wijesiri: “
We agree with the rulings of the Speaker. There is no argument about it. But the Speaker is a senior politician and former senior minister. I hope he will consider the matter that the Opposition MPs have raised over 400 questions on behalf of their electorates and allow more time to raise those questions. The Opposition Leader’s statement too is on a matter of urgent national importance, and we hope that it would be allowed.
Opposition Leader Premadasa:
“I have not raised questions pertaining to rapid antigen tests or antibody tests or injections against the virus.”
Speaker Abeywardena:
“How many times have you raised these issues in this House?”
Opposition Leader Premadasa:
“The Speaker prevents us from raising questions because the government has no answers. The speaker is making use of his power to cover the government’s inability.”
Speaker Abeywardena said that the government’s ability or inability did not concern him.
Opposition Leader Premadasa:
“The Opposition Leader has a right to raise questions.”
Speaker Abeyewardena: “
That right is ensured.”
Opposition Leader Premadasa: “
When would I be able to make a special statement again?”
Speaker Abeywardena:
“You will be given time next Wednesday provided that your statement does not mislead the House.”
Galle District SJB MP Manusha Nanayakkara:
“I demand to know whether the question raised by the Opposition leader is not legal or the government has already decided that people do not need to know the rapid antigen test and antibody treatment because a certain group has already obtained them.”
Leader of the House Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena: “
I request the Opposition Leader and his team of MPs not to disrupt the procedure of the House and respect the Chair. We regret their attempts to disrupt the process of parliament. Today, is the last day of the second reading debate. The Speaker has given a ruling on the matter and it cannot be questioned. The MPs should behave in the House responsibly. We act here in accordance with the agreement reached at the party leaders’ meeting. If the Opposition MPs have not been informed of those agreements then it is a problem of their leaders who attended the party leaders’ meeting.
Chief Government Whip Highways Minister Johnston Fernando: “
No limit has been imposed on the questions. The number of questions has been reduced only during the budget debate and that has been done as per the request of party leaders to allocate more time for the speeches of all MPs. They wanted to give time to each MP to speak in the debate. It was agreed by all party leaders. The Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella is well aware of this agreement. It is not a problem for the government whether the opposition has raised 400 or more than that number of questions.
SJB MP Ranjith Maddumabandara:
The Speaker is a senior MP. He should not be swayed by his party politics or his personal opinions but give the rulings in accordance with the Standing Orders.
Speaker Abeywardena said that he had already given a ruling on the matter and had no intention of changing it.
The Jana Aragala Sandhanaya yesterday lodged a complaint with the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), calling for an investigation into Deputy Minister Sundaralingam Pradeep over alleged irregularities related to a Guinness World Record event held in Sri Lanka.
The organisation alleged that state patronage had been extended to a private company for the event and that large sums of money had been collected from around 5,000 families of participating students.
Speaking to the media, after submitting the complaint, Jana Aragala Sandhanaya National Executive Council member and Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) Secretary, Duminda Nagamuwa, alleged that the government had promoted the Bharatanatyam workshop, held on June 14, as an event that secured a Guinness World Record for the participation of the largest number of students.
He said a government politician had taken the lead in organising the event, attended by Deputy Minister Mahinda Jayasinghe.
Nagamuwa questioned the decision to provide state support for an event organised by a private entity, claiming that the Guinness certificate issued for the achievement had been awarded not to Sri Lanka or a state institution, but to a company.
“Why did the government provide state patronage to a private institution’s programme?” he asked.
He alleged that each of the approximately 5,000 participating students had paid Rs. 5,000, resulting in the collection of a substantial amount of money. He claimed that parents were also asked to pay additional amounts of Rs. 3,450 for logos and Rs. 2,350 for certificates.
Nagamuwa alleged that many families, from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, had incurred heavy expenses travelling to Colombo and staying there for several days for the event, with some families spending around Rs. 30,000 each.
News
Opposition MPs sign motion demanding debate on prolonged failure to fill vacancies in superior courts
Opposition MPs yesterday signed a motion demanding an adjournment debate in Parliament on the prolonged failure to fill vacancies in Sri Lanka’s superior courts.
The motion, submitted under Standing Order 83(1), calls for a debate on the implications of leaving more than eight vacancies in the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal unfilled for over six months.
The Opposition said the proposed debate would examine the impact of the vacancies on the administration of justice, the rule of law, the protection of fundamental rights and public access to justice, while urging the authorities to expedite appointments to the vacant posts.
The motion, bearing the signatures of Opposition MPs, is to be forwarded to Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne, for approval, to schedule the debate.
Suranga Sanjeewa Karunaratne, alias ‘Matiya’, an alleged underworld gunman linked to organised crime figure Kehelbaddara Padme, was arrested on arrival at the Bandaranaike International Airport in the early hours yesterday.
Police said the suspect, a resident of Kotugoda, Yagodamulla, had been detained by Malaysian authorities and deported to Sri Lanka. Officers of the CID took him into custody upon his arrival.
Investigators said an Interpol Red Notice had been issued against the suspect.
Karunaratne is wanted in connection with the fatal shooting, near the Gampaha Magistrate’s Court, in July, 2022, in which alleged organised criminal ‘Paspodda’ was killed and several others sustained injuries.
Following preliminary questioning by the CID, the suspect was handed over to the Western Province North Crimes Division for further investigations. Police said a 72-hour detention order had been obtained to facilitate further inquiries.
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