Sitting of Friday, 6 December 2024
Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 1734424725051921 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard
Order of business
Speeches load per item. Summaries shown here are AI-generated and labelled; verbatim text is on each speech page.
- 1 Opening Parliament Opening 1 speeches
- 2 Papers Papers Presented 12 speeches
- 3 Procedural Procedural Matters: Sitting Hours, Legislative Standing Committee, Committee on Parliamentary Business 20 speeches
- The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB
AI summary Hon. Bimal Rathnayake moved procedural motions altering the day’s sitting hours to run from 9.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. and 1.00 p.m. to 5.30 p.m., with adjournment by the Speaker at 5.30 p.m., and to take up Government Business. He also moved the appointment of 24 Ministerial Consultative Committees under Standing Order 112, specifying their subject areas, membership structure, and a quorum of three members. All motions were agreed to by the House.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB
AI summary Moved a motion under Standing Order 113 to constitute the Legislative Standing Committee, chaired by the Deputy Speaker and including the Deputy Chairman of Committees and ten other Members nominated by the Committee of Selection. The motion was put to the House and agreed to.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB
AI summary Bimal Rathnayake moved a motion to vary Standing Order 115 for the First Session of the Tenth Parliament, establishing the Committee on Parliamentary Business with the Speaker and key office holders plus 12 Members nominated by the Committee of Selection. He explained that, following Opposition requests and party leaders’ discussions, additional Opposition representation would be provided, though not all Opposition parties could be accommodated. He said allocation of Opposition slots should be handled by the Leader of the Opposition, while other parties could be given opportunities through mechanisms such as Adjournment Motions and fair time allocation via the Chief Government Whip.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Gayantha Karunatilleka SJB
AI summary Gayantha Karunatilleka said Opposition parties had met the Speaker to request broader representation at Party Leaders’ meetings. He argued that, given the increase in the number of Opposition parties from about six to about twelve, limiting attendance to four representatives is unfair, and called for a fair arrangement allowing a reasonable number to participate.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna Independent Group 17 - Jaffna
AI summary Ramanathan Archchuna stated that, as a Member representing Jaffna District, he was not being allocated speaking time by the Opposition despite multiple Jaffna MPs being present in Parliament. He requested the Speaker’s intervention to ensure he receives at least a brief opportunity, even 30 seconds, in each debate to represent his constituents.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayathissa - Minister of Health and Mass Media and Chief Government Whip JJB
AI summary Parliamentary Business Committee membership was discussed in the context of Standing Orders and proposals to expand committee representation. The Minister argued that, while other committees such as Ministerial Consultative Committees could be enlarged, the Parliamentary Business Committee must remain limited for effective functioning, especially given the possibility of many Opposition parties. He said agreement had been reached to increase nominated membership to 16, bringing the total with ex officio members to 23, and urged the Opposition to share its available slots fairly.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB
AI summary Sajith Premadasa requested that the membership of the Committee be increased to allow broader and fairer Opposition representation. He argued that such an increase would not violate Standing Orders or raise costs, and cited the previous Parliament’s practice of wider Opposition inclusion as a precedent for reaching consensus.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. G.G. Ponnambalam ACTC
AI summary Hon. G.G. Ponnambalam argued that the composition of the Committee on Parliamentary Business should reflect the presence of single-Member parties and independent groups that do not necessarily align with the main Opposition. He said the Standing Orders were framed for a two-party context and called for flexibility, as in previous Parliaments, so that each constituent party can be informed of and contribute to Parliament’s functioning.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB
AI summary Bimal Rathnayake said Parliament must act under the existing Standing Orders and argued that the Committee on Parliamentary Business should remain limited in size, while acknowledging concerns over Opposition representation. He stated that two additional Opposition Members would be added, with proposed representation for ITAK, the New Democratic Front and the SLPP alongside the Leader of the Opposition and Chief Opposition Whip. He also noted related increases in the membership of COPA, COPE, the Public Petitions Committee and Ministerial Consultative Committees, including an Opposition Chair for COPA and expanded Opposition participation in consultative committees.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Namal Rajapaksa, Attorney-at-Law SLPP
AI summary Namal Rajapaksa raised concerns that Opposition parties, including the SLPP, are not adequately represented on the Parliamentary Business Committee. He argued that decisions made without fair party leader participation could face objections later in the House and cause delays, and requested that some form of representation be considered despite the large number of parties.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Rauff Hakeem, Attorney-at-Law SJB
AI summary Rauff Hakeem requested that a fair solution be considered regarding an earlier procedural request before the House. He also raised concerns about the scheduled establishment of the Constitutional Council under Article 41A(1)(e), arguing that its composition should reflect Sri Lanka’s pluralistic character, including ethnic and social diversity. He noted uncertainty over the President’s nominee and questioned the absence of a Muslim representative after the Opposition Leader nominated a Sinhala Member, asking that the 11.00 a.m. vote be considered in that context.
- The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. (Dr.) (Ms.) Harini Amarasuriya - Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education JJB
AI summary Hon. (Dr.) (Ms.) Harini Amarasuriya stated that the matter had been resolved and informed Parliament that Hon. Aboobucker Athambawa, representing the Ampara District, had been nominated as the Government nominee.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB
AI summary Bimal Rathnayake briefly addressed Hon. Rauff Hakeem, stating that there was no need for alarm. No specific policy issue, proposal, or legislative matter was raised in the remark.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Gayantha Karunatilleka SJB
AI summary Gayantha Karunatilleka referred to Standing Order 111(10), noting that nominations to Sectoral Oversight Committees should reflect the relative strength of parties and independent groups. He requested that the same principle be considered for appointments to the Parliamentary Business Committee, citing consistency with a position previously taken by the current President.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB
AI summary Bimal Rathnayake clarified that Standing Order 111(1) applies to Sectoral Oversight Committees, not the Committee on Parliamentary Business, and argued that proportional allocation is not applied uniformly across all committees. He stated that the Opposition would receive one additional seat and requested its fair allocation. He then moved that the Committee on Parliamentary Business be fixed at 16 members.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Jeevan Thondaman UNP
AI summary Hon. Jeevan Thondaman urged the Government, given its historic single-party majority, to uphold the principles previously advocated by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in Parliament. He said the Opposition was not seeking favours but equitable treatment, and cautioned the Government not to act in the manner it had formerly opposed.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB
AI summary Hon. Bimal Rathnayake said speaking time constraints require parties to organize internally, noting similar past constraints and offering to assist Opposition Members where possible. He then moved a series of motions under the Standing Orders to constitute key parliamentary committees for the First Session of the Tenth Parliament, including Standing Orders, House, Ethics and Privileges, COPA, COPE, Public Finance, Ways and Means, Public Petitions, High Posts, and the Backbencher Committee. He noted that the Committee on Public Finance is to be chaired by the Opposition and that the Backbencher Committee’s membership had been increased by agreement.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- 4 Procedural Vote on Account Debate (Introduction and Motion) 12 speeches
- 5 Debate Debate on Vote on Account for Ministry of Public Administration and Related Matters 117 speeches
- 6 Procedural Corrections to Hansard 1 speeches