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


Presentation of Papers

Annual Report of the Independent Television Network Ltd for the year 2020


Presentation of Petitions

(i)    The Hon. Anura Dissanayaka              -     Three Petitions
(ii)    The Hon. Buddhika Pathirana             -      Four Petitions
(iii)    The Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri                    
(iv)    The Hon. K.P.S. Kumarasiri                    
(v)    The Hon. Gunathilaka Rajapaksha                   
                   
(Petitions stand referred to the Committee on Public Petitions)


Questions under Standing Order 27(2) of the Parliament

(i)    The Hon. Anura Dissanayaka

Service period and retirement age for pension of Armed forces

Hon. Chamal Rajapaksa, Minister of Irrigation, State Minister of Defence and State Minister of Home Affairs replied to the above Question.

(ii) The Hon. (Ven.) Athuraliye Rathana Thero

Genocide Resolution on Sri Lanka at Ontario Parliament in Canada


Main Business of the House for Today

(i)    The following Motions (appearing as Item No. 1 to 3 of today’s Order Paper) were moved by the House and Passed:-

•    Formulating a programme for persons who are over the age of 60 to make them active members of the society

That this Parliament resolves that a methodology be adopted to create awareness in the society including the school community to formulate a programme to make the elders over the age of 60, who laboured for the social economic progress and who are now in an inactive and left out state without any recognition in the society, active members of the society.

•    Re-activating the local seed production process

That this Parliament resolves that a programme should be launched by the government to enhance the local seed production to prevent the local agriculture, which is already severely hit, from going into further damage as the local seed production is under the grips of foreign companies at present.

•    Regulating Counsellors and Psychiatrists in Sri Lanka

That this Parliament resolves that special attention should be paid towards subjecting counsellors and psychiatrists as well as diploma and certificate courses in counselling and psychiatry to proper regulation, preparing proper procedures for providing access to psychosocial services and banning transformation therapies, which are out-dated in the context of gender diversity, and a suitable programme should be implemented by the government to pave way for Sri Lankan citizens to access proper psychosocial health services, whereas it has been observed that fake counsellors and fake psychiatrists, who are not professionals and who have not received any clinical training are practicing across the country, and whereas there has been an increasing trend that those who have only obtained a diploma certificate from various institutions, without receiving any clinical training or without following professional ethics, are establishing institutes, and pretending to be professional counsellors or psychiatrists, are giving publicity through social media to attract people to their clinics.

(ii) Land Development (Amendment) Bill (appearing as Item No. 45 of today’s Order Paper)

was passed by the House.


The Parliament was, thereafter adjourned at 1730 Hrs. until 1000 Hrs. on Tuesday 22nd March 2022.

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