The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, please ask them to take their seats. Please sit down. You do not understand the Standing Orders. Sit down and read Standing Order 29(2).

¶ 02 Their aim is to obstruct the business of the House. There is a procedure to raise a privilege question and that Member attempted accordingly. When a privilege question is raised, they try to have Gayantha agree and adopt a motion. Hon. Speaker, commencing this debate— Hon. Speaker, the only mistake is that he was not given a mike outside. Give him a mike and a camera outside. They only know how to disrupt the House. If they want, let them put it in writing and read it outside. Poor fellows! Hon. Speaker, they are without a proper party. Member, didn’t you also go to meet the Development Officers? Hon. Speaker, they are in trouble now. They went to meet the Development Officers. After those officers met the President, they said, “Sir, the lot came and left; we are not concerned.” Oh dear Dayasiri! Brother Dayasiri! Don’t waste time.

¶ 03 Hon. Speaker, today we are bringing three important Bills for debate. Representing the Government, we would like to say— Hon. Speaker, please ask them to read Standing Order 29(2). Please be seated.

¶ 04 Do not pay attention to that. It is mere show. Just a showman. He has no party. Even the Leader of the Opposition, Sajith Premadasa, does not like him. Yes, even he does not like him. No one takes him seriously. He does not even have a party to get nomination next time.

¶ 05 [At this stage, some Members of the Opposition walked into the Well of the House and created an uproar.]

¶ 06 All right, then remain in the Well; we will proceed with the debate. You cannot ask points of order from the Well. Points of order must be raised from your seat. Are you also coming? Will you give it in writing? Leader of the Opposition, will you also give this in writing? If you go with these fellows, your votes will diminish. Your votes will reduce.

¶ 07 This is the “Pohottuwa” that people rejected. No votes will come through this. Do not fall victim to this “Pohottuwa” culture. Leader of the Opposition, you will even lose your last two percent if you go with Dayasiri. No one counts him. The President himself said he is a “turncoat dog.” Hon. Speaker, that is what he is trying now. May Day is approaching. If you have learned the cat dance by now, fine. Do not harass this man; go and take your seat. You cannot raise points of order from there. Leader of the Opposition, frankly, it is unfortunate! You broke away from the UNP and formed a party and defeated Ranil Wickremesinghe.