PARLIAMENT | Daily News

PARLIAMENT

Required funds to renovate country’s first Dagoba- PM

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the required funds would be provided to renovate Sri Lanka’s first Dagoba, Girihandu Seya.

He said this responding to a question raised in Parliament on Saturday during the session of questions for oral answers.

MP Anura Sidney Jayaratne informed Parliament that the ancient tablets and artefacts are under threat of being destroyed. Hence, he said attention should be paid to this matter. Expressing his views, Deputy Minister Ajith P. Perera said a separate committee should be appointed to look into this issue.

Meanwhile, Buddha Sasana Development and Wildlife Minister Gamini Jayawickrema Perera said, measures have been taken to name Girihandu seya in Trincomalee as a sacred site and a committee would be appointed to develop the site.


Minister welcomes Lord Naseby’s statement on HR

Foreign Minister Tilak Marapana said he valued the positive statement made by Lord Naseby with regard to Sri Lanka’s human rights. Minister Marapana was speaking in Parliament on Saturday.

“There are no human rights issues related to Sri Lanka that need to be clarified in an international arena anymore, because we have satisfied the international community that we are quite capable of handling our human rights situation by ourselves,” the Minister said. “As a government that is responsible for all its citizens we pursue a policy of engaging with all countries and international organisations for the benefit of the people of this country,” he said.

Meanwhile, Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said Lord Naseby had done a great service to this country and as a mark of respect, he should be invited to visit Sri Lanka’s Parliament.

In response, Minister Marapana said Lord Naseby is welcome to visit Sri Lanka at any time.


Country should progress without any differences - Sports Minister

The country has to go forward without creating differences between Sinhala, Tamil and Muslims as a whole together, suggested Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara in Parliament on Saturday.

He queried as to why a group that does not accept the National Anthem or the National Flag demand that the Constitution be changed.

He also said that the Northern Province Education Minister's reluctance to hoist the National Flag was unacceptable.

He made this observation joining the Committee Stage debate on the budget proposal for financial year 2018 under the Financial Heads of the Transport and Civil Aviation Ministry and Ports and Shipping Ministry. He also said that the country'a National Flag has has a long and proud history. He added that when the British hoisted their Union Jack flag in Sri Lanka, it was put down and trampled. “We have to teach these facts to the Northern Province Education Minister,” Minister Jayasekara said.

“Some are attempting to become a Prabakaran by refusing to accept the National Flag. We urge them not to try and reintroduce another murderous era as during the time of Prabakaran,” he added. He added however after independence was achieved a separate Committee was appointed to design the National Flag in 1948 by late D.S. Senanayake. Then there were many proposals, but finally this flag was designed depicting all communities. “The Sword of the Lion depicts the dignity of Sri Lankans,” Minister Jayasekara said. “But some attempt to misinterpret the same”. He added that those who cant respect the National Flag could leave the country. He added the only acceptable leader in North is R.Sampanthan. All should get together to bring in Constitutional Reforms.


Transport sector needs to be modernised - Patali Ranawaka

The government has plans to use electricity to run trains, said Megapolis and Western Development Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka in Parliament on Saturday.

He made this observation joining the Committee Stage debate on the budget proposal for financial year 2018 under the Financial Heads of the Transport and Civil Aviation Ministry and Ports and Shipping Ministry.

He said that engineer D.J. Wimalasurendra had an idea of electric trains with power generated from the Lakshapana Hydro Power Plant.

“Although it is a simple target to achieve, we have not been able to accomplish it,” Minister Ranawaka said. The Minister pointed out that the country would face a serious crisis if the transport sector is not modernised. He added that although there are only 5,000 vehicles in the country when we gained independence, there are more than six million vehicles out of which four million are on the roads.

“Out of the vehicles on the road, 40 percent are three wheelers and motorbikes,” Minister Ranawaka said.

“A bus can transport the same number of commuters as 140 three-wheelers and motorbikes,”Minister Ranawaka added.

He also pointed out that about Rs.1 billion is wasted additionally everyday, due to traffic congestion.


JO not given due recognition in Parliament - Namal

Joint Opposition(JO) MP Namal Rajapaksa said although the Joint Opposition has 54 members in Parliament, they are not being given due recognition.

He said the TNA holding the post of Opposition Leader has only 16 members in Parliament, while the JVP which holds the position of Chief Opposition Whip has only six members in Parliament.

Rajapaksa was speaking in Parliament on Saturday during the Committee Stage debate of Budget 2018 on the Financial Heads of the Transport and Civil Aviation Ministry and Ports and Shipping Ministry.

“Therefore, if you are talking about democratic values, then one should respect the fact that the Joint Opposition has 54 members seated in the Opposition, but we are still not recognised as the main Opposition in Parliament,” he added.

He said although the government claims that democracy has been restored, around 12 Parliamentarians are currently remanded.

“Over 1000 government servants have been questioned by the FCID. We still believe that the FCID is not established legally unlike the CID or other investigating institutions. Yet there are thousands of civilians and MPs being summoned there for questioning,” he added.

He said with regard to the Bond issue, the government is of the stand that a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty. However, he said when it concerns the Joint Opposition, this is not so. 


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