The Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, under Standing Order 28(5), a notice of motion may be moved on a matter of privilege. Standing Order 28 states:

¶ 02 “Unless otherwise provided by any other Standing Order, notice shall be given of any motion, other than the motions mentioned above, which it is intended to move.”

¶ 03 This means that, except for the matters specified, prior notice is required; however, for a matter of privilege, prior written notice is not required under Standing Order 28, as I understand it from subparagraphs (a) through (e). Therefore, yesterday that Hon. Member could have risen and raised the privilege matter. The capacity existed to move it without prior written notice, as the Standing Orders provide.

¶ 04 Accordingly, I respectfully request the Table Office not to guide the Chair in a manner that curtails Members’ privileges. If, at that moment, a Member’s privilege has been breached, it can be brought to the attention of the House. There is no requirement for written notice, Hon. Speaker. I was not present yesterday. We are disappointed that the Chair acted improperly by not permitting Hon. Chamara Sampath to raise the privilege matter.