PARLIAMENT

The Hon. Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana, the Speaker took the Chair.


Official Oath or Affirmation by New Members

The Hon. Abdul Hameed Mohamed Fowzie was sworn in as a Member of Parliament before the Hon. Speaker to fill the vacancy caused by reason of the resignation of the Hon. Mujibur Rahuman.


Messages from the President

A : Order under the Public Security Ordinance (Chapter 40)


Announcements by the Speaker

B : Determination of the Supreme Court on the Bill entitled “Licensing of Shipping Agents, Freight Forwarders, Non-Vessel Operating Common Carriers and Container Operators (Amendment)”   
C : Endorsement of the certificate on Bills under Article 79 of the Constitution


Presentation of Papers

(i) Annual Report of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka for the year 2020
(ii)    Annual Report of the National Human Resources Development Council of Sri Lanka for the year 2021
(iii)    Annual Report of the Bank of Ceylon for the year 2021
(iv)    Annual Report of the Employees’ Trust Fund Board for the year 2021
(v)    Annual Report of the Ocean University of Sri Lanka for the year 2019
(vi)    Annual Reports of the National Research Council for the years 2019 and 2020
(vii)    Annual Reports of the Hotel Developers (Lanka) Ltd for the years 2019, 2020 and 2021
(viii)    Annual Report of the Marine Environment Protection Authority for the year 2020
(ix)    Annual Report of the Selendiva Investments Limited for the year 2021
(x)    Annual Report of the Ceylon Shipping Corporation Ltd for the year 2020/2021
(xi)    Annual Report of the Selacine Television Institute for the year 2020
(xii)    Annual Report and Statement of Accounts of the Sri Lanka Press Council for the year 2020.
(xiii)    Annual Report of the Independent Television Network Ltd for the year 2021
(xiv)    Annual Report of the State Development & Construction Corporation for the year 2021
(xv)    Annual Reports of the Homoeopathic Medical Council for the years 2019 and 2020
(xvi)    Annual Report of the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol for the year 2020
(xvii)    Annual Report of the State Pharmaceuticals Manufacturing Corporation of Sri Lanka for the year 2021
(xviii)    Annual Report of the Agricultural and Agrarian Insurance Board for the year 2019
(xix)    Annual Report of the Sri Lanka Judges’ Institute for the year 2019
(xx)    Annual Performance Report of the Department of National Botanic Gardens for the year 2021
(xxi)    Annual Report of the Sugarcane Research Institute for the year 2019.
(xxii)    Performance Report of the Rubber Development Department for the year 2020
(xxiii)    Annual Report and Financial Statements of the Tower Hall Theatre Foundation for the year 2020
(xxiv)    Annual Performance Report of the State Ministry of Solar, Wind and Hydro Power Generation Projects Development for the year 2021
(xxv)    Annual Report of the Geological Survey & Mines Bureau for the year 2020

(xxvi) Regulations made by the Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies under Section 20 of the Imports and Exports (Control) Act, No. 1 of 1969 amended by Acts, No. 48 of 1985 and No. 28 of 1987 read with Sections 4(1) and 14 of the aforesaid Act and published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2312/77 of 01st January 2023
(xxvii)    Regulations made by the Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies under Section 20 of the Imports and Exports (Control) Act, No. 1 of 1969 amended by Acts, No. 48 of 1985 and No. 28 of 1987 read with Sections 4(1), 6 and 14 of the aforesaid Act and published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2312/78 of 01st January 2023
(xxviii)    Report on the Submission of observations and steps taken in terms of the Standing Order 119(4) of the Parliament with regard to the matters mentioned on the Office of the Cabinet of Ministers in the report of the Committee on Public Accounts which was presented to Parliament
(xxix)    Cabinet Sub–Committee Report published in December 2022 on National Energy Potentials, Strategies and the Roadmap for Next Decade
(xxx)    Note on Supplementary Allocations from the Supplementary Support Services and Contingent Liabilities Project appearing under Expenditure Head No. 240 of the Department of National Budget for the period from 01.12.2022 to 31.12.2022 under Section 6(1) of the Appropriation Act, No. 30 of 2021
(xxxi)    Report of the Commissioner of Elections on the Fifteenth Parliamentary General Election of Sri Lanka held on 17th August 2015
(xxxii)    Report of the Presidential Election held on 16.11.2019 to elect the President
(xxxiii)    Report on the Submission of observations and steps taken in terms of the Standing Order 119(4) of the Parliament with regard to the matters mentioned on the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing in the report of the Committee on Public Accounts which was presented to Parliament
(xxxiv)    Regulations made by the Minister of Transport and Highways under Section 237 read with Sections 44, 123, 124, 125, 126, 126B, 128, 132, 132A and 231 of the Motor Traffic Act (Chapter 203) and published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2301/17 of 10th October 2022


Presentation of Reports from the Committees

The Second Report of the Sub - of the National Council of the Ninth Parliament in identifying short and medium term programmes related Economic Stabilization which was presented to the National Council was presented by the Hon. Patali Champika Ranawaka, the Chair of the Committee.


Questions of Privilege

Hon. Nimal Piyathissa

Lankadeepa news report of alleged incident at Nuwara-Eliya ‘Senpathi Medura’


House agreed to the following Motions moved by the Hon. Leader of the House of Parliament

(i) Committee o‍f Selection

That in terms of the provisions of Standing Order 114 of the Parliament, the Committee of Selection shall consists of the Speaker as the Chair and twelve (12) Members which shall include the Leaders of Political Parties or their nominees to be nominated by Parliament to serve during the Fourth Session of the Ninth Parliament

(ii) Committee of Selection

That in terms of the motion agreed to by Parliament this day, the undermentioned Members do serve in the Committee of Selection during the Fourth Session of the Ninth Parliament:—

Hon. (Dr.) Susil Premajayantha, Attorney at Law    
Hon. Prasanna Ranatunga
Hon. Nimal Siripala de Silva, Attorney at Law     
Hon. Douglas Devananda  
Hon. Johnston Fernando  
Hon. Gamini Lokuge
Hon. Sagara Kariyawasam, Attorney at Law


Announcements by the Speaker

Meeting of Committee of Selection


Main Business of the House for Today

The following Bills (appearing as Item Nos. 1 to 52 of today’s Order Paper) were approved by the House.:-
(i)    Regulations under the Welfare Benefits Act
(ii)    Annual Report of the Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration (2017)
(iii)    Annual Report of the Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration (2018)
(iv)    Annual Report of the Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration (2019)
(v)    Annual Report of the National Institute of Language Education and Training (2017)  
(vi)    Annual Report of the National Human Resources Development Council of Sri Lanka (2018)
(vii)    Annual Report of the National Human Resources Development Council of Sri Lanka (2019)
(viii)    Annual Report of the Official Language Commission (2017)
(ix)    Annual Report of the Official Language Commission (2018)
(x)    Annual Report of the Official Language Commission (2019)
(xi)    Annual Report of the Distance Learning Center (2018)
(xii)    Annual Report and Accounts of the Local Loans and Development Fund (2014)
(xiii)    Annual Reports and Accounts of the Local Loans and Development Fund (2015 and 2016)
(xiv)    Annual Report and Accounts of the Local Loans and Development Fund (2017)
(xv)    Annual Report and Accounts of the Local Loans and Development Fund (2019)
(xvi)    Annual Report of the Sri Lanka Institute of Local Governance (2016)
(xvii)    Annual Report of the Sri Lanka Institute of Local Governance (2018)
(xviii)    Annual Report of the Institute of Indigenous Medicine of the University of Colombo (2020)
(xix)    Annual Report of the Postgraduate Institute of Agriculture of the University of Peradeniya (2020)
(xx)    Annual Report of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura (2019)
(xxi)    Annual Report & Accounts of the Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka (2019)
(xxii)    Annual Report of the National Institute of Library and Information Sciences of the University of Colombo (2020)
(xxiii)    Annual Report & Annual Accounts of the Institute of Technology of the University of Moratuwa (2020)
(xxiv)    Annual Report & Statement of Accounts of the University of Moratuwa (2020)  
(xxv)    Annual Report of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (2019)
(xxvi)    Annual Report of the Ceylon Shipping Corporation Ltd (2017/2018)
(xxvii)    Annual Report of the Ceylon Fishery Harbours Corporation (2013)
(xxviii)    Annual Report of the Ceylon Fishery Harbours Corporation (2014)
(xxix)    Annual Report of the Ceylon Fishery Harbours Corporation (2015)
(xxx)    Annual Report of the Ceylon Fishery Harbours Corporation (2016)
(xxxi)    Annual Report of the Cey-Nor Foundation Limited (2016)
(xxxii)    Annual Report & Accounts of the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (2019)
(xxxiii)    Annual Report & Accounts of the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (2020)
(xxxiv)    Annual Report of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (2018)
(xxxv)    Annual Report and Statement of Accounts of the Sri Lanka Press Council (2019)
(xxxvi)    Annual Report of the Sri Lanka Judges’ Institute (2017)
(xxxvii)    Annual Report of the National Authority for Protection of Victims of Crime and Witnesses (2020)
(xxxviii)    Annual Report of the National Design Centre (2019)
(xxxix)    Annual Report of the Sri Lanka Institute of Textile and Apparel (2018)
(xl)    Annual Report and Financial Statements of the Tower Hall Theatre Foundation (2017)
(xli)    Annual Report and Financial Statements of the Tower Hall Theatre Foundation (2018)
(xlii)    Annual Report and Financial Statements of the Tower Hall Theatre Foundation (2019)
(xliii)    Annual Report of the Central Cultural Fund (2012)
(xliv)    Annual Report of the Central Cultural Fund (2013)
(xlv)    Annual Report of the Central Cultural Fund (2014)
(xlvi)    Annual Report of the Central Cultural Fund (2015)
(xlvii)    Annual Report of the Central Engineering Services (Pvt) Ltd. (2019)
(xlviii)    Annual Report of the Central Engineering Services (Pvt) Ltd. (2018)
(xlix)    Annual Report of the Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau (2018)
(l)    Annual Report of the Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau (2015)
(li)    Annual Report of the Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau (2013)
(lii)    Annual Report of the National Youth Services Council (2019)


Adjournment Motion

Adjournment Motion on “Statement of Government Policy made by the Honourable President on 08th February 2023 in terms of Articles 32(4) and 33(a) of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka” was proposed by the Hon. Sanjeeva Edirimanna.


The Parliament was, thereafter adjourned at 1634 Hrs. until 0930 Hrs. on Friday 10th February 2023.

*  This is an unedited version. For the official record of this day's proceedings, please refer the Hansard.