2023-12-02
The chairperson of the Parliamentary Caucus for Persons with Disabilities, Hon. Dallas Alahapperuma said in a press conference that as the justice has not been served for the disabled community in Sri Lanka so far, so we will stand for them regardless of party politics.
This press conference was organized at Water Edge Hotel premises in Battaramulla on 01.12.2023 in line with the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, falls on December 03, 2023, and the press conference was attended by Members of Parliament, Disabled Organizations Joint Front, Commissioner General of Elections, Election Monitoring Organizations and Civil Organizations.
According to the request made by several parties including the Disability Organizations Joint Front, the members of all parties of the Parliament established this caucus last September irrespective of political differences, the Chairman said. He also assured that the caucus will stand up for the rights of the disabled people inside and outside the Parliament.
Hon. Alahapperuma further said that since there is a proposal to buy 600 buses in this year's budget, it will be proposed in Parliament on the 4th December to buy a few buses for the disabled as a pilot project. The chairman also expressed his gratitude to the National Democratic Institute (NDI) for bringing this proposal.
The chairman of the caucus pointed out that although Sri Lanka signed the United Nations Convention for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2006, we are far behind compared to developed countries. Thus, Hon. Dallas Alahapperuma said that it is the intention of his caucus to create coordination between the disabled community and policy makers by appearing collectively in policy making.
He also pointed out that since the needs of the disabled community are linked with various government institutions, departments, etc., the aim of this new caucus is to stand for them and become their voice by coordinating all together.
Speaking at the event, Commissioner General of Elections Mr. Saman Ratnayake, said that in the next national election, steps will be taken to provide a special ‘Tactile ballot paper’ to each polling station for the visually impaired community. He said that the piolet project with regard to this was successful in 10 polling stations in Nuwara Eliya district. He said that special attention will be given to the needs of the hearing-impaired community and the accessibility of the disabled community in the polling stations. Mr. Ratnayake also said that steps will be taken to provide an ID card to the disabled community.
Mrs. Rasanjali Pathirage, President of Disability Organizations Joint Front (DOJF), who spoke at the event, said that 8.7% of the country's population, nearly 16 lakh people, belong to the disabled community. She also said that it was a great achievement to establish a parliamentary caucus on behalf of their voices on September 6. She also pointed out that people with disabilities in this country do not have access to public transport including buses and trains, as there are no facilities in many public places in this country. She also drew attention to the fact that people with disabilities are being badly abused and the obstacles to education.
Therefore, she emphasized the need to draft a new law that legally enforces the rights of people with disabilities and pointed out that people with disabilities should also be represented in politics. She also said that the chairman of the caucus Hon. Dullas Alahapperuma is highly commendable for his contribution to the disabled community as a very sensitive leader.
The media's responsibility to create a good society that respects the rights of people with disabilities was also emphasized here.
Also, Brian Kingston, a visually impaired student who has passed the G.C.E Ordinary Level examination with flying colours and currently studying advanced in biology stream at Ananda College, Colombo, addressed the press conference and expressed issues related to his community.
Member of Parliament Hon. Premnath Dolawatta, who participated in this event, presented his visiting card prepared with Braille facility to the chairman of the caucus and student Brian Kingston.
The Chairperson of the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus, Hon. Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle, its Co-Vice-Chairperson, Hon. Rohini Kumari Wijeratne, Members of Parliament Hon. Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Hon. K.P.S Kumarasiri, Hon. Udayana kirindigoda Mr. Rohana Hettiarachchi, Director of PAFFEREL, Mrs. Shyama Salgadu, Director of NDI were also present on this occasion.
The event was organized with the financial support of USAID and the support of NDI.
2026-09-18
Hon. Member of Parliament Sugath Wasantha de Silva, MP (Parliament of Sri Lanka) was awarded the 2026 New Parliamentarian Award in recognition of his contribution to promoting inclusive parliamentary democracy. The award was officially presented to him yesterday (Sep. 17) at the 69th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference held in Cape Town, South Africa.Elected in November 2024 as Sri Lanka's first-ever blind Member of Parliament, he has advanced the principles of disability-inclusive governance through his work as Chair of the Parliamentary Caucus for Persons with Disabilities. Through cross-institutional collaboration, he has also delivered practical reforms, best exemplified through Sri Lanka's first national participatory budget consultation with persons with disabilities.
2026-09-18
The Select Committee of Parliament to conduct a comprehensive study on the lack of preparedness to face Cyclone Ditwah and report to Parliament and submit its proposals and recommendations in that regard, has decided to summon representatives of Pradeshiya Sabhas and Municipal Councils before the Committee to examine how local authorities coordinated their response during the disaster situation.Committee members particularly highlighted the need for further investigation into how local authorities, including Pradeshiya Sabhas and Municipal Councils, were involved in official communication and coordination processes during the disaster.At a recent meeting of the Committee held in Parliament under the chairmanship of Hon. Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, information was sought from members of the National Council for Disaster Management and the District Secretaries of Kandy and Matale regarding the disaster management process in the Kandy and Matale districts.Accordingly, the Committee focused its attention on the early warning systems, communication among government institutions, and emergency response procedures in response to the heavy rainfall, landslides, and flooding experienced in these areas from 23 to 27 November 2025.The Committee also discussed the need to establish formal written procedures to be followed during emergency disaster situations, conduct disaster preparedness drills regularly, and further improve the efficiency of early warning systems.Committee members, including Hon. Deputy Ministers Major General (Retired) Aruna Jayasekara and Anton Jayakody, and Members of Parliament Attorney-at-Law Anuradha Jayaratne, Rohini Kumari Wijerathne, Kanthasamy Prabu, Ruwan Mapalagama, and Dr. Pathmanathan Sathiyalingam, also participated in the meeting.
2026-09-17
The Ministerial Consultative Committee on Energy Affairs approved the Order relating to the calling for investment proposals for the exploration and development of petroleum resources in Sri Lanka and the formalization of the relevant process.The approval was granted at a meeting of the Ministerial Consultative Committee held recently (Sep. 11) at Parliament under the chairmanship of Anura Karunathilaka, Hon. Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation and Energy.The Order, made by the Minister of Energy under Section 48 of the Petroleum Resources Act, No. 21 of 2021, read together with Section 17 of the said Act, and approved by the Cabinet of Ministers, was published in the Extraordinary Gazette No. 2497/37 dated 16 July 2026.Under this Order, any person seeking to explore or develop petroleum resources in one or more identified blocks is required to submit an investment proposal together with payment of the administrative fee specified in the relevant invitation for bids.Deputy Minister of Energy Arkam Illyas, Members of Parliament, officials of the Ministry of Energy, and other officials participated in the meeting.
2026-09-17
Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Hon. Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, emphasized that universities must take the necessary measures to ensure that victim students have confidence in the investigations being conducted into incidents of ragging at universities.This matter was discussed at a meeting of the Subcommittee on Higher Education, convened under the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, which was held at Parliament under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister.The meeting included an extensive discussion on measures to be taken regarding vacancies in the higher education sector, particularly at universities, as well as incidents of ragging.The Prime Minister pointed out that universities have a moral responsibility to prevent and control ragging and emphasized that students subjected to ragging must have confidence in the investigative procedures currently in place at universities.Accordingly, the Prime Minister stressed that investigations into ragging incidents must be efficient and effective and should be conducted in a manner that enables relief to be provided to victim students without delay.The Prime Minister also inquired from university vice-chancellors about the failure to date to make appointments that have already been approved by the Ministry to fill vacancies at universities. She instructed officials to take the necessary measures to fill the approved vacancies expeditiously.The meeting was attended by Hon. Dr. Upali Pannilage, Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Social Empowerment; Hon. Dr. Madhura Seneviratne, Deputy Minister of Education and Higher Education; Hon. Member of Parliament Manjula Sugath Ratnayake; university vice-chancellors; the Chairman of the University Grants Commission; and a number of other representatives.
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