2006-02-17
"A red letter day in the history of Parliament of Sri Lanka" mentioned the Deputy Speaker when he addressed the gathering at the Parliament website launch.
Find the speech made by the Deputy Speaker in full below.
Hon. Prime Minister
Hon. Speaker
Hon. Members of Parliament
Secretary to His Excellency the President
Distinguished invitees
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I consider today as a red letter day in the history of Parliament of Sri Lanka. People of this country enjoyed universal franchise since 1931, which is seventeen years before independence and just a few years after United Kingdom enabled its women the right to vote. From first past the post to proportional representation people casted their vote, performing their civic duty and many would burn the midnight oil in a festive mood to await the result, not to mention unfortunate excesses that took place in certain elections. The question before many is after the hustings what next?
Until today the communication between Parliament, its members and the rest took place through the print media. Letters constitute the communication between people and members. The Hansard is the official record of proceedings. The newspapers give publicity to the proceedings as well as photographs. In theory the Parliament should be open to the public as the representatives perform a duty on behalf of the people. Unfortunately, considerations of security, necessitated by acts of aggression, now surround every Parliament of the world. In an era where people demand transparency, the physical access to Parliament and other government institutions need be restricted, which appears to be a paradox.
However we can overcome these challenges through the evolution of the information communication technology and the revolution it is creating in our daily lives. Electronic communication was born with the invention of the telegraph and the telephone. Easy storage of information and its equal ease of retrieval became possible with aid of computers, which originally served the computational needs of the scientific community. Communication between computers made the easy retrieval of information stored in one computer with the aid of another. The birth of the internet facilitated methods of communication between computers and a universal network of access. The internet has come to our aid enabling us to be accessed through computers open to all. The main advantage is that it no longer requires face to face contact thus avoiding the risks of acts of aggression.
The commonest feature in the process of access is to retrieve what is known as web pages. By pages it is to be understood as chunks of pictures and texts displayed per screen. This is the equivalent of a notice board or a billboard. Now the pictures and the texts could be dynamic with animations. In addition this could be enriched with sound as well.
But a web page in the modern world is far beyond a mere notice board of display. It can be interactive. It could be configured to have a set of pages for every Member of Parliament where every citizen, with or without subject to identification can communicate with a member, both ways. The communication could be text based in the form of notes or letters. In a further advancement it could be a chat in the form text. The more advanced could be live audio and the ultimate being audio and video as well. A further development in this direction would be web based conference linking the citizens in a public library conference hall and the elected representative in Parliamentary premises.
Richness of an entity, be it individual, family, group, village, town or a country depends on what fraction of time it spends in planning for its future while dealing with the present. In this context any serious legislator would be on the look out for good ideas. Unfortunately the average culture of many so called responsible, is to treat letters as a nuisance. On the other hand an invitation to express views on policy of given subjects would evoke response from a limited group of intellectuals. The web based consultation would be an ideal source for a legislator to get ideas on a given subject across the board.
Any Parliament is a wealth of knowledge. Its library hitherto restricted by physical access can be made on-line thus enabling any audience, restricted or otherwise to refer to its material. I am fully aware that it would be a herculean task to feed in to web, the hansard, present and the past, leave alone all the printed material in our library. However, I am relieved to note that there are, IT enabled service providers available locally who can undertake to face the rigours of this exercise. A photographic gallery of distinguished legislators itself would definitely be an attraction and a challenge. The most daunting would be to have multimedia documentaries made available on-line based on the material available.
Clearly www.parliament.lk follows the address of the mother of all Commonwealth Parliaments www.parliament.uk. However we would have to maintain our own identity as we are a unicameral legislature as opposed to the UK legislature being bi-cameral and with judicial functions. Today, in reality it is a small step we take in the direction we have to move many a mile.
I trust that the developers of our system who are very capable have made it resilient to so called cyber-attacks. In any case it is physically less damaging than an act of aggression in the form of a physical attack. However we cannot risk the loss of data or the disturbance it would cause once sizeable number of population in the globe starts making use of it .I therefore take this opportunity to remind the cutodians of this system both present and in the future to guard this system and ensure its security from attacks which are modernised and innovated everyday.
We have to thank the United Nations Development Program for the generous assistance both in cash and kind towards the humble beginnings of our legislature being a part of the World Wide Web. I have to thank them once again for its commitment to build the institutional capacity of many an organ of the public in the developing countries in general and the parliament of Sri Lanka in particular. It is through this institutional building, an enhancement of public good that enables the serving of the public better and permits the foster care and the growth of the private good, thus enriching our people to be above the poverty line.
We in Sri Lanka recognize the role of the agency on information Communication Technology (ICTA) which was also a partner in this exercise. Its role is not limited to the Parliament of Sri Lanka but to the entire nation. It funded this project both in cash and kind. I am confident that professionals in Sri Lanka in general and the professionals in the Agency in particular would enrich the internet world of Sri Lanka thus contributing to an effective regime of governance in Sri Lanka. I would be failing in my duty if no mention is made of His Excellency Mahinda Rajapakse, the President of this country, who as the Minister in Charge of the subject of the Agency gave stewardship to ICTA and was very keen in the implementation of this venture.
I take this opportunity to thank all those who came today in response to our invitation to be with us and share our joy on this memorable occasion.
Thank you.
2026-10-09
The Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya met with the delegation of the Asia Foundation on 07 October at Parliament.Welcoming the delegation from the Asia Foundation, the Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya expressed appreciation for the Foundation’s longstanding partnership with Sri Lanka and its continued support for the country’s development efforts.The delegation congratulated the Government on its recent initiatives and commended Sri Lanka’s progress in navigating the economic crisis and strengthening the country’s recovery.During the meeting, The Asia Foundation outlined its key areas of engagement and interest in Sri Lanka, including digitalisation and digital transformation, women’s economic empowerment, the care economy, poverty alleviation and social protection, maritime security and social empowerment and inclusive development.Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya briefed the delegation on the Government’s key priorities, including sustaining economic growth, attracting investment and promoting inclusive and equitable economic development, while remaining aligned with the programmes and commitments supported by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.She further emphasised the importance of strengthening public institutions, enhancing institutional accountability and transparency, combating corruption and improving government revenue mobilisation as part of the Government’s efforts to strengthen governance.Prime Minister also highlighted education reform and the expansion of vocational and skills-based education as key priorities for developing a future-ready workforce and supporting the country’s economic transformation.The discussion also focused on advancing Sri Lanka’s digital economy and digital transformation, particularly through the use of technology to improve public service delivery and create new economic opportunities.The occasion was attended by the Chief Executive Officer of the Asia Foundation; Ambassador Kathleen Stephens, Chair of the Board; Ambassador Robert O. Blake, Jr. along with the representatives of The Asia Foundation and Mr. Pradeep Saputhanthri, Secretary to the Prime Minister; Ms. Sagarika Bogahawatta, Additional Secretary to the Prime Minister and the officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism of Sri Lanka.
2026-10-08
A delegation from the Parliament of Sri Lanka recently participated in a tailor-made peer-to-peer training programme titled ‘Evidence, Innovation, and Foresight in Parliamentary Research’, held at the National Council of the Slovak Republic in Bratislava from 29 September to 2 October 2026. The initiative was conducted under the Inter Pares Partnership with the Parliament of Sri Lanka.Designed to support the ongoing development of the Parliamentary Research Division, the programme focused on comparative exchange with research services from prominent European parliaments. Key areas of study included research workflows, quality assurance, accessible product development, digital knowledge management, the responsible application of Artificial Intelligence (AI), and forward-looking research methodologies.The Sri Lankan delegation was led by Mrs. Kushani Rohanadeera, Secretary General of Parliament, and included, Mr. Siyath Ahemed, Librarian; Mr. Mohammed Ajiwadeen, Senior Research Officer; Ms. Tekshila Erandathi Lokuge, Senior Research Officer; Mr. Nishan Wickramasingha Mohottige, Systems Analyst; and Ms. Sachinie Gunasekara, Deputy Principal Officer. A major focus of the training was the secure and responsible adoption of AI tools in legislative research. Participants examined institutional frameworks covering AI governance, data protection, confidentiality, accuracy, political neutrality, and rigorous human oversight. Practical sessions demonstrated how AI can enhance evidence gathering, document comparison, summarization, and knowledge management.Additionally, the programme underscored the strategic value of legislative foresight. By utilizing horizon scanning, trend identification, and scenario development, parliamentary researchers can better equip lawmakers to anticipate future challenges and analyze the long-term implications of public policy beyond immediate political cycles.During the visit, the delegation met with the Secretary General and senior officials of the National Council of the Slovak Republic, alongside cultural visits to the Speaker’s Gallery and the National Museum.The Parliament of Sri Lanka extends its sincere appreciation to the National Council of the Slovak Republic, International IDEA, and the Inter Pares Partnership. Gratitude is also extended to the expert contributors and partner parliaments from Czechia, Hungary, Austria, Italy, Lithuania, and the United States Congressional Research Service for facilitating this valuable capacity-building initiative.
2026-10-08
The Anti-Corruption (Amendment) Bill was passed in Parliament today (Oct. 08) with amendments and without a vote. Accordingly the amendments seek to address legal, interpretational, administrative and technical issues identified in the implementation of the Anti-Corruption Act, No. 9 of 2023, discrepancies between the Sinhala and English texts of the Act, issues relating to the investigation and prosecution of corruption offences, administrative matters of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), and the process of submitting declarations of assets and liabilities through a centralized electronic system.These amendments are expected to further strengthen Sri Lanka’s existing legal and institutional framework for combating corruption and ensure that the Anti-Corruption Act is implemented effectively, transparently and with accountability.
2026-10-07
The Appropriation Bill for the year 2027 was presented to Parliament today (Oct. 07) for its First Reading by Hon. Dr. Anil Jayantha, Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning.The Appropriation Bill for the 2027 financial year provides for the allocation of financial resources required to meet government expenditure amounting to rupees four thousand nine hundred ninety two billion seven hundred seventy-three million three hundred eighty-eight thousand, as well as provisions authorizing the Government to obtain loans, among other matters.Accordingly, the 2027 Budget Second Reading, which includes the presentation of the Budget Speech and Budget Proposals, is scheduled to take place on 12 November 2026.Thereafter, the Second Reading Debate is scheduled to be held over seven days, from 13 November to 20 November, with the vote on the Second Reading scheduled for 6.00 p.m. on 20 November.Subsequently, the Committee Stage Debate on the Appropriation Bill is scheduled to be held over 19 days, from 21 November to 14 December. The vote on the Third Reading of the Budget is scheduled to take place at 6.00 p.m. on 14 December.During the period of the Budget Debate, Parliament is scheduled to meet at 9.30 a.m. every day, including Saturdays, except on public holidays and Sundays.The 2027 Appropriation Bill provides the necessary legal framework for government expenditure during the financial year from 1 January to 31 December 2027, including the provision of financial resources for such expenditure and the authorization required for obtaining the relevant loans.
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