PARLIAMENT

The Hon. (Dr.) Jagath Wickramaratne, the Speaker took the Chair.


Announcements by the Speaker

A : Members to serve on the Committee on Parliamentary Business
B : Members to serve on the Committee on Public Finance
C : First meeting of the Caucus on Climate Parliament of Sri Lanka for the Tenth Parliament
D : Re-establishment of the Parliamentary Caucus for Open Parliament Initiative for the Tenth Parliament


Presentation of Papers by the Speaker

(i)    
•    Second Installment – Part LVII and Ninth Installment – Parts XLIII, XLIV and XLV of the Report of the Auditor–General for the Financial Year 2021;
•    Second Installment – Parts LVII, LVIII and LIX and Ninth Installment – Part XLI of the Report of the Auditor–General for the Financial Year 2022; and
•    Second Installment – Parts XXI, XXII, XXIII, XXIV, XXV and XXVI, Third Installment – Parts XII, XIII and XIV and Ninth Installment – Parts X, XI, XII, XIII and XIV of the Report of the Auditor–General for the Financial Year 2023
in terms of Article 154(6) of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

(ii) Financial Statements and the Independent Auditor’s Report on the Audit of the Financial Statements of the National Audit Office for the year 2023 in terms of Section 36(3) of the National Audit Act, No. 19 of 2018 which was submitted to me by the Auditor-General in terms of Section 36(1) of the said Act


Presentation of Papers

(i)    Annual Report of the Eastern University of Sri Lanka for the year 2022.
(ii)    Annual Report of the Postgraduate Institute of Agriculture of the University of Peradeniya for the year 2023.
(iii)    Annual Performance Report of the Inland Revenue Department for the year 2023.
(iv)    Regulations made by the then 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. 2384/35 of 17th May 2024.
(v)    Regulations made by the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development 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. 2413/37 of 04th December 2024.
(vi)    Order made by the then Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies under Section 22 of the Foreign Exchange Act, No. 12 of 2017 and published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2389/08 of 18th June 2024.
(vii)    Regulations made by the then Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies under Section 17 read with Section 11 of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, No. 28 of 2005 and published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2382/11 of 30th April 2024.
(viii)    Regulation made by the then Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies under Section 4 read with Section 3 of the Casino Business (Regulation) Act, No. 17 of 2010 relating to Casino Business Licensing Regulations, and published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2386/09 of 29th May 2024.
(ix)    Order made by the then Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies under Section 3(3) of the Ports and Airports Development Levy Act, No. 18 of 2011 relating to Ports and Airports Development Levy and published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2377/39 of 28th March 2024.
(x)    Regulations made by the then Minister of Investment Promotion in consultation with the Colombo Port City Economic Commission and the Condominium Management Authority established under Section 2 of the Condominium Management Authority Law, No. 10 of 1973, under Paragraph (q) of Section 71(2) read with Section 54 of the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Act, No. 11 of 2021 relating to Colombo Port City Management of Condominium Property and published in the Gazette Extraordinary    No. 2394/68 of 26th July 2024.
(xi)    Order made by the then Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies under Section 2 of the Special Commodity Levy Act, No. 48 of 2007, relating to Special Commodity Levy and published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2384/31 of 17th May 2024.
(xii)    Order made by the then Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies under Sections 2 and 5 of the Special Commodity Levy Act, No. 48 of 2007, relating to Special Commodity Levy and published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2395/32 of 31st July 2024.
(xiii)    Order made by the Minister of Finance, Economic Development, Policy Formulation, Planning and Tourism under Section 2 of the Special Commodity Levy Act, No. 48 of 2007, relating to Special Commodity Levy and published in the Gazette Extraordinary         No. 2404/19 of 02nd October 2024.
(xiv)    Order made by the Minister of Finance, Economic Development, Policy Formulation, Planning and Tourism under Sections 2  and 5 of the Special Commodity Levy Act, No. 48 of 2007, relating to Special Commodity Levy and published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2406/02 of 14th October 2024.
(xv)    Order made by the Minister of Finance, Economic Development, Policy Formulation, Planning and Tourism under Section 2 of the Special Commodity Levy Act, No. 48 of 2007, relating to Special Commodity Levy and published in the Gazette Extraordinary         No. 2408/15 of 01st November 2024.
(xvi)    Order made by the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development under Section 2 of the Special Commodity Levy Act, No. 48 of 2007, relating to Special Commodity Levy and published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2412/38 of 30th November 2024.
(xvii)    Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme made by the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development under Section 9 of the Welfare Benefits Act, No. 24 of 2002, relating to Welfare Benefits and published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2415/66 of 21st December 2024.
(xviii)    Procurement Guidelines - 2024 on Goods, Works, and Non-Consulting Services, formulated by the National Procurement Commission in terms of the Article 156C(1) of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2412/01 of 25th November 2024.
(xix)    Order made by the then Minister of Education under Section 27(1) read with Sections 21 and 139 of the Universities Act, No. 16 of 1978 on the recommendation of the University Grants Commission with regard to the establishment of Faculties and Departments of the University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka and published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2394/65 of 26th July 2024.
(xx)    Order made by the then Minister of Investment Promotion under Section 14 of the Sri Lanka Export Development Act, No. 40 of 1979 regarding CESS levy and published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2400/25 of 05th September 2024.
(xxi)    Annual Reports of the Sri Lanka Cashew Corporation for the years 2019 and 2020.
(xxii)    Annual Reports of the Distance Learning Centre for the years 2020 and 2021.


Presentation of Reports from the Committees

The Report of the Committee on Public Finance was presented by the Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva, the Chair of the Committee.


Adjournment Motion

Adjournment Motion on “Mid-Year Fiscal Position Report – 2024” was proposed by the Hon. (Dr.) Najith Indika.


The Parliament was, thereafter adjourned at 1730 Hrs. until 0930 Hrs. on Wednesday 8th January 2025.

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