PARLIAMENT

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


Announcements by the Speaker

A : Endorsement of the certificate on Bills under Article 79 of the Constitution
B : Meeting of the Committee on Parliamentary Business


Presentation of Papers by the Speaker

Special Audit Report on the requirement, procument, supply, distribution and regulation of medicines in the years 2022 and 2023 in the Tenth Installment of the Report of the Auditor General in terms of Article 154(6) of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka


Presentation of Papers

(i)    Annual Report of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka for the year 2022
(ii)    Annual Report of the Postgraduate Institute of Management of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura for the year 2022
(iii)    Annual Reports of the Lands Survey Council for the years 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019

(iv) Order made by the Minister of Investment Promotion under Section 3(4) of the Strategic Development Projects Act, No. 14 of 2008 relating to “Dedicated Textile Manufacturing Zone” in Eravur, Batticaloa District and published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2377/41 of 28th March 2024
(v)    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 Agriculture and Plantation Industries and the Institutions coming under its purview in the report of the Committee on Public Accounts which was presented to Parliament


Presentation of Reports from the Committees

(i)    The Report of the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Ports, Shipping and Aviation was presented by the Hon. Nimal Siripala de Silva, Attorney at Law, the Chair of the Committee.
(ii)    The Report of the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Sports and Youth Affairs was presented by the Hon. Rohana Dissanayaka, member of the Committee on behalf of the Chair of the Committee.
(iii)    The Report of the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Tourism and Lands was presented by the Hon. (Mrs.) Geetha Samanmale Kumarasinghe, member of the Committee on behalf of the Chair of the Committee.
(iv)    The Report of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Media, Youth, Heritage & New Citizen was presented by the Hon. Lalith Varna Kumara, the Chair of the Committee.


Presentation of Petitions

(i)    The Hon. (Mrs.) Geetha Samanmale Kumarasinghe                    
(ii)    The Hon. W. H. M. Dharmasena                    
(iii)    The Hon. (Prof.) Ranjith Bandara               -   Two Petitions
(iv)    The Hon. Lalith Varna Kumara                    
(Petitions stand referred to the Committee on Public Petitions)


Questions under Standing Order 27(2) of the Parliament

The Hon. Sajith Premadasa

Issuing new liquor licenses


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

(i) Select Committee of Parliament to investigate into and to make suitable recommendations relating to the disasters caused by New Diamond and X-press Pearl Vessels in the Maritime Zone of Sri Lanka

That the time period granted to  the Select Committee of Parliament to investigate into and to make suitable recommendations relating to the disasters caused by New Diamond and  X-press Pearl Vessels in the Maritime Zone of Sri Lanka, as specified in the Resolution passed by Parliament on 09 February 2024, be extended up to 20 July 2024 in terms of Standing Order 102 of the Parliament, as the Committee needs further time to report its observations to Parliament.

(ii) Select Committee of Parliament to look into whether the child malnutrition issue in Sri Lanka is aggravating and to identify short term, medium term and long term measures to be taken in that regard, as well as to oversee the speedy implementation of the identified measures

That the time period granted to the Select Committee of Parliament to look into whether the child malnutrition issue in Sri Lanka is aggravating and to identify short term, medium term and long term measures to be taken in that regard, as well as to oversee the speedy implementation of the identified measures, as specified in the Resolution passed by Parliament on 22 February 2024 be extended up to 05 September 2024, in terms of Standing Order 102 of the Parliament, as the Committee needs further time to report its observations to Parliament.


Adjournment Motion

Adjournment Motion on “the Palestine Issue” was proposed by the Hon. Rauff Hakeem, Attorney at Law.


The Parliament was, thereafter adjourned at 1730 Hrs. until 0930 Hrs. on Wednesday 22nd May 2024.

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