2023-05-23
Mrs. Kushani Rohanadeera, who was newly appointed as the Secretary General of the Parliament, assumed her duties today (May 23) in the morning.
Mrs. Rohanadeera, who arrived in Parliament this morning to begin her new duties, was received by Assistant Secretaries-General Mr. Tikiri K. Jayathilake and Mr. Hansa Abeyratne.
Post giving the official oaths/affirmation before the Hon. Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana, Speaker, blessings were added by the recital of Pirith by the Maha Sangha.
She then began her duties as the Secretary General of Parliament by certifying that the Ratanathissa Peace Foundation (Incorporation) Bill, which was passed by Parliament, as a true copy, which is to be certified by the Speaker.
Former Secretary General of the Parliament Mr. Dhammika Dasanayake, Mrs. Rohanadeera's family members, heads of the departments of Parliament and others were present at this occasion.
Today at 9.30 a.m. the Hon. Speaker, the new Secretary General and the Assistant Secretaries-General entered the chamber, led by the Serjeant-at-arms.
In accordance with the provisions of Article 65(1) of the Constitution, Hon. Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana, Speaker, announced that the Chief of Staff and Deputy Secretary General of the Parliament, Mrs. Kushani Anusha Rohanadeera, has been appointed as the Secretary General of the Parliament with effect from May 23rd, 2023.
Furthermore, according to the provisions of the Constitution, the Speaker officially informed that Mr. Dhammika Dasanayake, who held the position of Secretary General of the Parliament, retired from the said position on May 23rd, 2023.
Mrs. Rohanadeera, who completed her primary and secondary education at Ambalangoda Dharmashoka College, is a graduate of the University of Colombo in Biology. She also holds a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree from the Open University of Sri Lanka and is an Attorney-at-Law in profession.
In 1999, she joined the staff of the Secretary General of Parliament as a parliamentary officer. There on, she was promoted to the positions of Assistant Principal Officer, Deputy Principal Officer, Assistant Secretary General, Chief of Staff and Deputy Secretary General of Parliament.
Before joining the Parliamentary service, she has worked as a junior executive officer at Sampath Bank, a junior scientist at Environment Foundation, secretary to the director of the National Institute of Education (Distance Education), and a center coordinator at Informatics Private Institute.
Moreover, she has received training on parliamentary process and legislative process in many countries including India and Canada.
Married to Mr. Harigupta Rohanadeera, an Attorney-at-Law, she is a mother of three children and loves cooking and singing.
2026-10-15
The Navaratri religious ceremony of the Parliament of Sri Lanka is scheduled to be celebrated ceremonially on the Oct. 20th at the Parliament premises. Symbolizing Sri Lanka’s multi-religious harmony, the celebration is expected to be attended by Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Hon. Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne, and other Ministers, Members of Parliament and dignitaries.Navaratri is a Hindu religious festival celebrated with devotion, generally in October each year. The festival is known as “Navaratri” because religious observances are conducted in honour of the goddesses over nine nights. During the first three days, devotees worship Goddess Durga, who is believed to have the power to dispel evil, negative qualities and shortcomings. The following three days are dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi, who is revered as the goddess of wealth and prosperity and is believed to bestow lasting riches and good fortune upon her devotees. The final three days are devoted to Goddess Saraswati, who is regarded as the goddess of wisdom.Following these nine days, a special ceremony is held on the tenth day, known as “Vidya Arambham”. This ritual symbolizes the commencement of educational activities and is regarded as an auspicious occasion to begin learning.The ceremony is being organized by the Parliament of Sri Lanka, under the guidance of the Hon. Speaker, with the support of the Department of Hindu Religious and Cultural Affairs of the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs.
2026-10-13
A total of 53,604 kidney patients had been identified by August this year to receive a monthly allowance of Rs. 10,000 each, revealed Dr. Upali Pannilage, Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment.The Minister made these remarks while responding in Parliament to questions for oral answers raised by Hon. Member of Parliament Rohana Bandara.He further stated that there is no waiting list for receiving the allowance and that eligible kidney patients who apply are paid the monthly allowance based on their eligibility.
2026-10-13
A total of 19,646 private buses are currently operating across the island, said Dr. Prasanna Gunasena, Hon. Deputy Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development.The Hon. Deputy Minister made these remarks recently while responding in Parliament to a question for oral answers raised by Hon. Member of Parliament Ruwanthilaka Jayakody.He explained that inter-provincial private bus services are regulated by the National Transport Commission, while buses operating within individual provinces are regulated by the nine respective Provincial Road Passenger Transport Authorities.The Deputy Minister also stated that no individual has the legal authority or permission to collect money unlawfully from private buses at public bus terminals.He further noted that bus operators and staff have been informed of measures to prevent such illegal collections. If any such incidents are reported, the Sri Lanka Police will take the necessary legal action, he added.
2026-10-13
Sri Lanka’s population aged over 60 stands at 3,921,124, accounting for 18.002% of the country’s total population, according to the 2024 Census of Population and Housing, said Dr. Upali Pannilage, Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment.The Minister made these remarks recently while responding in Parliament to a question for oral answers raised by Hon. Member of Parliament Dhanushka Ranganath.The Minister further noted that 1,712,535 of the country’s elderly population are male, while 2,208,589 are female. Accordingly, males account for 43.67% of the elderly population, while females account for 56.33%.The National Secretariat for Elders and the National Council for Elders were established in June 2002 under the Protection of the Rights of Elders Act, No. 9 of 2000, the Minister stated.These institutions work to protect the rights of older persons, ensure their welfare and provide necessary services. Their key responsibilities include registering and regulating elder care homes, providing support to elder day-care centres, and empowering elderly committees, the Minister added.The Minister also stated that 44,899 senior citizen identity cards were issued in 2025, while 45,000 cards are expected to be issued in 2026. In addition, assistance is expected to be provided to 500 beneficiaries in 2026 to support renovation work and the provision of equipment at 25 elder care homes.
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