Sitting of Tuesday, 18 February 2025

Order of business

Speeches load per item. Summaries shown here are AI-generated and labelled; verbatim text is on each speech page.

1. 1 Opening Parliament Opening and Speaker's Certificate 1 speeches ▸
2. 2 Papers Tabling of Annual Reports and Ministerial Consultative Committee Referrals 3 speeches ▸
3. 3 Petitions Petitions 6 speeches ▸
4. 4 Oral question Oral Question No. 1 (98/2024): Sale of Petroleum by Ceylon Petroleum Corporation 8 speeches ▸
5. 5 Oral question Oral Question No. 4 (247/2024): Teacher Attachments and Transfers 7 speeches ▸
6. 6 Oral question Oral Question No. 2 (112/2024): Bingiriya Export Processing Zone 3 speeches ▸
7. 7 Oral question Oral Question No. 3 (133/2024): Justice and National Integration Matter 3 speeches ▸
8. 8 Oral question Oral Question No. 4 (247/2024): COVID-19 Clinical Practice Guidelines 2 speeches ▸
9. 9 Oral question Question by Private Notice: Recent Islandwide Power Outage 13 speeches ▸
10. 10 Debate Adjourned Debate on Second Reading of the 2025 Budget 75 speeches ▸
11. 11 Adjournment Adjournment Debate: Additional Building for Meelad Vidyalaya, Dehiwala 11 speeches ▾
    • The Hon. (Prof.) A.-H.M.H. Abayarathna

      AI summary Moved the motion that Parliament adjourn for the day. The Presiding Member then proposed the question for consideration.

      Parliamentary Procedure Full speech →
    • The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
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    • Hon. Mujibur Rahman SJB

      AI summary Hon. Mujibur Rahman raised an adjournment matter on the lack of space at Meelad Vidyalaya, a Tamil-medium bilingual school in the Dehiwala–Piliyandala Zone with about 574 students. He said an unused building allocated in October 2024 and renovated with about Rs. 3 million could not be used for Grades 1–5 due to protests, leaving children studying outdoors. He urged the Minister of Education to intervene urgently and provide a suitable unused government or low-attendance school building in the area for the school’s use.

      Education Full speech →
    • The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
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    • Hon. Amila Prasad SJB

      AI summary Hon. Amila Prasad seconded the adjournment motion moved by Hon. Mujibur Rahman regarding Meelad Vidyalaya.

      Parliamentary Procedure Full speech →
    • The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
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    • Hon. (Mrs.) Samanmali Gunasingha JJB

      AI summary Hon. (Mrs.) Samanmali Gunasingha supported the motion on Meelad Muslim Vidyalaya, noting severe space shortages at the high-demand bilingual school and delays in making the closed Sumantha Vidyalaya building available despite approval in 2024. She said Grade 1 pupils had been left without classrooms after objections raised on ethnic grounds and emphasized the government’s policy direction toward tri-lingual schooling and equal access to education. She outlined interim and long-term measures, including temporary accommodation at Nikape Vidyalaya and consideration of upgrading S.D.S. Jayasinghe Vidyalaya as a tri-lingual national school, and stated that the issue would be resolved within days.

      EducationEthnic Reconciliation & DevolutionReligion & Culture Full speech →
    • The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
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    • Hon. S. M. Marikkar SJB

      AI summary Hon. S. M. Marikkar supported Hon. Mujibur Rahman’s motion, arguing that Muslim children in the Dehiwala–Ratmalana–Moratuwa area must have access to education in their preferred language and to religious education under the national syllabus. He urged the Government to address the long-standing lack of facilities at Meelad without allowing the issue to fuel ethnic tensions, and proposed using unused government buildings or land for immediate relief. He also supported making S. D. S. Jayasinghe Vidyalaya a National School and suggested it become tri-lingual to promote integration among Sinhala and Tamil children.

      EducationEthnic Reconciliation & Devolution Full speech →
    • Hon. (Dr.) Madhura Senevirathna - Deputy Minister of Education and Higher Education JJB

      AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Madhura Senevirathna said Meelad Muslim Vidyalaya’s enrolment had risen sharply, creating a shortage of classrooms and no assembly hall, with 26 additional rooms needed. He explained that the temporary use of Sumantha Vidyalaya, approved by provincial authorities and renovated with about Rs. 2.5–3 million, had led to community tensions, prompting officials to examine alternative locations. He stated that the Dehiwala Coordinating Committee had decided to use Nikape Vidyalaya for immediate accommodation, and said the Ministry would implement the move peacefully while upholding equal educational opportunity regardless of ethnicity or religion.

      EducationEthnic Reconciliation & Devolution Full speech →
    • Hon. Mujibur Rahman SJB

      AI summary Mujibur Rahman thanked the Deputy Minister for agreeing to temporarily provide Nikape Vidyalaya’s building to accommodate Grades 1–5 and ensure continuity of education. The sitting then concluded, with Parliament adjourned until 9.30 a.m. on 19 February 2025 pursuant to the Resolution of 6 February 2025.

      Education Full speech →
12. 12 Procedural Hansard Editorial Notes and Publication Information 3 speeches ▸