2021-08-06
News Categories : Committee News
All steps have been taken to expedite the sending of Sri Lankans for Korean employment opportunities which have been delayed due to the prevailing Covid-19 situation, Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said at a meeting of Ministerial Consultative Committee on Foreign held in Parliament recently (04).
The Minister said that the matter had already been discussed at the diplomatic level and that the Korean Ambassador had made a special proposal to provide employment opportunities to Sri Lankans in the agricultural sector in Korea. However, due to the delay in the prevailing Covid situation, all relevant steps are already being taken, the Minister said.
The Minister was speaking when Parliamentarian Gamini Waleboda said that there was an opportunity for Sri Lankans to work in Korea.
Addressing the committee, Member of Parliament Gevidu Kumaratunga said that ‘The Overseas Operations Act’ passed by the British Parliament has exempted British soldiers from war crimes committed abroad five years ago. In this context, it is not justifiable to make allegations of human rights abuses even when the Sri Lankan Army stands up for the security of its homeland, he said.
He also pointed out that the voices must be raised against the use of human rights in opposition to the independence of countries. He also called for action to be taken to reveal to the world the true situation of the Sri Lankan Army which has set an example to the world by launching a humanitarian operation.
Commenting on this, Foreign Secretary Admiral (Prof.) Jayanath Colombage stated that the matter is being studied. The Foreign Secretary said that the people of the North and East of the country will be given back their lands and that the international community will be made aware of all these matters.
Speaking at the meeting, Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said that Sri Lanka had also expressed its views in this regard at the last Human Rights Council in Geneva. He also said that a special Presidential Commission chaired by Supreme Court Judge Nawaz has been appointed to gather evidence in this regard. An interim report of this commission has been submitted to the President and steps have been taken to inform the British High Commissioner in Sri Lanka, the Minister said.
Also, MP Chandima Weerakkody pointed out that since many countries have labeled Sri Lanka as a "red country" in this Covid situation, separate relations should be maintained with the relevant countries to change this attitude towards Sri Lanka. He also pointed out that the appointment of a Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India has been delayed for two years.
State Minister Tharaka Balasuriya stated that a strategic plan has been prepared with the relevant parties for this purpose. Although this is difficult in practice with the situation prevailing in some countries, the state minister explained that all steps are being taken for this. It was also revealed that a High Commissioner to India will assume duties on the 15th of this month.
MP S. Rasamanikkam pointed out that since most of the public issues related to foreign affairs come to the MPs, a coordinating officer should be appointed at the ministerial level. The Foreign Secretary stated that necessary steps will be taken to resolve this issue.
Mr. Rasamanikkam also inquired about the launch of a ferry service between Rameshwaran in Tamil Nadu and Thalai Mannar. The Foreign Secretary stated that the Indian side has agreed to this and that the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Ports have not reached a final decision in this regard.
Member of Parliament (Dr.) Suren Raghavan, brought to the notice of the committee that the conduct of foreign service examinations has been delayed. The Foreign Secretary said that the conduct of the examination has been delayed due to the prevailing situation and that the Department of Examinations will take immediate action in this regard. It was revealed that this examination was held in 2018 for the last time and currently there are vacancies for officers. Therefore, arrangements have been made by the Department of Examinations to conduct the examination and after that interview will be conducted by the Ministerial level to fill the relevant vacancies, the Foreign Secretary said.
The Ministerial Consultative Committee on Foreign chaired by Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena was attended by State Minister Tharaka Balasuriya, Members of Parliament Dilan Perera, S. Rasamanikkam, Gamini Waleboda, Dr. Suren Raghavan, Yadamini Gunawardena and Sudath Manjula, Foreign Secretary Admiral (Prof.) Jayanath Colombage. The other officers joined the meeting online.
2026-07-31
Plans are underway to establish a new National Handicrafts Authority by 2027 through the integration of the Department of Textile Industries, the National Crafts Council, the National Design Centre, and Laksala, it was revealed at the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA).The proposed authority aims to transform Sri Lanka's traditional textile and handicrafts sector into a competitive industry by integrating it with modern fashion, design, and technology while targeting international markets.These matters were discussed at length when the Committee on Public Accounts met recently in Parliament under the chairmanship of Hon. Member of Parliament Kabir Hashim. The Committee reviewed the Auditor General's triennial reports relating to the Department of Textile Industries for the period 2021–2023, the Auditor General's report for 2024, and the Department's current performance, with particular attention to its progress, challenges, and the proposed restructuring programme. During the discussions, officials stated that the Government intends to develop the textile industry not only as an important component of Sri Lanka's cultural heritage but also as an economically viable sector aligned with modern design, technology, and evolving market demands.Officials further informed the Committee that efforts are being made to attract more young people to the sector by expanding higher education and technical training opportunities through the Sri Lanka Institute of Textile and Apparel (SLITA).The Committee also discussed the Department's human resource shortages, including vacancies for internal auditors and accountants, the suspension of the recruitment of textile instructors at the provincial level, and the resulting impact on training programmes.It was revealed that 720 students had enrolled in the Department's training courses between 2021 and 2025, of whom only 456 successfully completed their programmes. Accordingly, the dropout rate exceeds 40%. The Committee was also informed that, in certain instances, the Government had incurred expenditure ranging from Rs. 700,000 to Rs. 1.1 million per trainee.The Committee further inquired into several issues, including the underutilization of textile machinery purchased during the COVID-19 pandemic, the inadequate use of facilities at the Katubedda Training Centre, and the failure to make effective use of the Department's tourist bungalows as income-generating assets.The Committee emphasized that Sri Lanka's textile industry should evolve into a competitive sector that preserves the country's cultural heritage while embracing modern technology, innovative design, and international market opportunities. It further stressed the importance of implementing the proposed restructuring programme within the stipulated timeframe while ensuring the efficient utilisation of public resources.The meeting was attended by Hon. Committee Members, Hector Appuhamy, Ruwanthilaka Jayakody, Lal Premanath, Attorney-at-Law Thushari Jayasinghe, T.K. Jayasundara, Ajantha Gammaddhege, Chandana Sooriyaarachchi, and Sunil Rathnasiri, together with a number of senior public officials.
2026-07-31
A Parliamentary Roundtable Discussion under the theme "Financing the Care Economy: The Role of Parliament", organised by the Women Parliamentarians' Caucus with the technical support of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), was held in Colombo recently under the patronage of Hon. Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne and Hon. Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya.Delivering the welcome address, Chairperson of the Women Parliamentarians' Caucus and Hon. Minister of Women and Child Affairs, Mrs. Saroja Savithri Paulraj, highlighted the importance of strengthening Sri Lanka's care economy and noted that her Ministry is working closely with all relevant institutions to advance this initiative.Addressing the gathering as the Chief Guest, Hon. Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne emphasised that recognising and strengthening the care economy is essential to achieving sustainable national development. He further stated that Parliament has a responsibility to support, through the legislative and budgetary processes, policies that promote gender equality, social inclusion and equitable economic development.Delivering the keynote address, Hon. Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya noted that investing in social care services, including childcare, elder care and support services for persons with disabilities, is not only a social responsibility but also a strategic investment that expands labour force participation, creates employment opportunities and strengthens the national economy.Discussions also focused on how gender-responsive budgeting could be utilised to address barriers to economic growth and ensure that investments in social care are reflected more effectively and strategically in future national budgets.The technical sessions were facilitated by Dr. Gayathri Lokuge, Senior Researcher at the Centre for Poverty Analysis (CEPA), who delivered a presentation on Sri Lanka's social care policies and gender-responsive budgeting.Former Director of the UK Women's National Commission and current Chair of the UK's Women's Budget Group, Janet Veitch OBE, delivered a presentation titled "Invest in Women, Grow the Economy", sharing international experiences on how investment in the care economy can increase women's economic participation, generate employment, promote economic growth and strengthen gender-responsive budgeting.Representatives of local policy research institutions also presented recommendations on future budget allocations to strengthen social care. These included proposals for a national time-use survey, new funding mechanisms for assistive technology for persons with disabilities, the expansion of elder care services, and after-school care programmes for children.Hon. Members of Parliament, policy experts and officials of the Ministry of Finance also engaged in extensive discussions on the policy priorities and resource requirements necessary to strengthen investments in the care economy through future national budgets.During the discussion, a representative of the International Labour Organization (ILO) stated that the Ten-Year Action Plan on the Care Economy, developed by the National Social Care Working Group co-chaired by the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs, the Ministry of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment, and the Ministry of Labour, based on the second strategic pillar on social care under the National Social Protection Strategy formulated in line with the National Social Protection Policy, is expected to be submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers shortly for approval. She further noted that the issues discussed at the roundtable are comprehensively addressed in the Action Plan and that it has been developed through an extensive stakeholder consultation process with the technical support of the ILO.The event was attended by Hon. Deputy Chairperson of Committees Hemali Weerasekara, Chair of the Committee on Public Finance, Hon. Member of Parliament Dr. Harsha de Silva, Country Director of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), Mr. Sanje Wignaraja, Members of the Women Parliamentarians' Caucus, Hon. Members of Parliament, policymakers, public officials, researchers and development partners.
2026-07-30
The Sectoral Oversight Committee on Infrastructure and Strategic Development held extensive discussions on the Sri Lanka Ports Authority's (SLPA) current operational performance, the progress of its development projects, financial performance for 2026, the implementation of recommendations previously made by the Committee, and the Authority's 2024 Annual Report.The discussion took place when the Committee met in Parliament recently under the chairmanship of Hon. Member of parliament S. M. Marikkar.The Committee reviewed the financial progress and profitability recorded by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority during the past six months and discussed measures required to sustain this positive performance.Particular attention was paid to the growing regional and domestic competition faced by the Port of Colombo. The Committee sought clarifications from officials regarding the competitive pressures arising from the expansion of India's Vizhinjam Port, the investment made in that port by one of the world's leading shipping companies, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), and plans to increase the capacity of the Port of Hambantota.The Committee also held detailed discussions on the progress of development projects aimed at expanding the capacity of the Port of Colombo, the reasons for delays in implementing these projects, issues encountered in procurement and tender procedures, and the financial impact of these delays on the Government.The Committee emphasized the need to conduct a proper audit into the causes of the delays in order to identify the parties responsible. It further stressed the importance of implementing more efficient procurement and project management mechanisms to prevent similar delays in the future.The development of regional ports, including Hambantota, Galle and Kankesanthurai, strengthening related infrastructure, and enhancing local capacity by increasing the participation of domestic construction companies, consultants and technical professionals in port development projects were also discussed.At the conclusion of the meeting, the Committee underscored the need to expedite measures to ensure that Sri Lanka Ports Authority projects are completed within the stipulated timeframes, strengthen institutional accountability and transparency, and further enhance the Authority's efficiency and profitability as a state-owned enterprise.The meeting was attended by Hon. Members of Parliament Ajith P. Perera, Manjula Suraweera Arachchi, Chathura Galappaththi, Ravindra Bandara, Dhanushka Ranganath, and Shantha Padma Kumara, as well as the Secretary to the Ministry of Ports and Civil Aviation, the Chairman and Managing Director of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, and other relevant officials.
2026-07-30
The Hon. Minister of Housing, Construction and Water Supply Dr. Susil Ranasinghe stated that action will be taken, based on the recommendations of a committee appointed to examine housing projects that were commenced during previous administrations but left incomplete due to various reasons.The matter was discussed at the meeting of the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Housing, Construction and Water Supply, held in Parliament under the chairmanship of the Minister.The Minister said that consideration is being given to allocating funds through the 2027 Budget to implement a new programme to complete these housing projects.He noted that a number of housing projects initiated in previous years had been abandoned midway because the loans and grant funding allocated for them had not been fully disbursed. According to the Minister, there are nearly 5,000 such incomplete housing units.Accordingly, a five-member committee, co-chaired by two former Secretaries to the Ministry, has been appointed to identify housing units that are in a condition suitable for use and to make recommendations on the future course of action regarding those projects.The Minister stated that the committee has already commenced its work by gathering information on the relevant housing projects, identifying houses that are fit for occupation, and formulating recommendations on the measures to be taken.He further said that final decisions regarding the abandoned housing projects will be made based on the recommendations submitted by the committee.The Minister also announced that assistance will be provided next year to families requiring support to complete partially constructed houses. It is expected that approximately 2,000 families will benefit from this programme.Meanwhile, Members of Parliament who attended the Committee meeting raised issues relating to the housing and water supply sectors in their respective electorates.The Ministry also agreed to convene a special meeting, with the participation of all relevant stakeholders, to discuss housing-related issues, including housing projects for low-income families in the Colombo District.
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