2025-03-12
News Categories : Committee News
Hon. Member of Parliament Sugath Wasantha de Silva was elected as the Chair of the Parliamentary Caucus for Persons with Disabilities. His name was proposed by Hon. Member of Parliament Chandima Hettiaratchi and was seconded by the Chief Opposition Whip, Hon. Gayantha Karunathilleka. This took place yesterday (Mar. 11) during the inaugural meeting of the caucus in Parliament, held under the patronage of the Hon. Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne.
Furthermore, the Chief Opposition Whip, Hon. Member of Parliament Gayantha Karunathilleka, proposed and seconded respectively by Hon. Members of Parliament Susantha Kumara Nawarathna, Susantha Dodawatta, Attorney at Law and Hon. Member of Parliament Dr. Pathmanathan Sathyalingam proposed and seconded respectively by Hon. Member of Parliament (Dr.) Sellaththamby Thilaganathan and Ajith P. Perera were appointed as Co- Chairpersons of the Caucus.
Addressing the Caucus, the Hon. Speaker highlighted that the establishment of this Caucus represents a decisive approach taken collectively towards equality, justice, and inclusion. He emphasized that the primary vision should be to build an economically and socially fulfilling and equitable society for persons with disabilities. To achieve this, the fundamental objective should be to ensure a society where their rights are protected and where equal access to education, employment, transportation, and other services is guaranteed.
Expressing his views, newly appointed Chair Sugath Wasantha de Silva extended his gratitude for being elected as the Chair of the Caucus. He stated that, as a Parliament, the main expectation of this Caucus is to transform the general Sri Lankan perception towards persons with disabilities into a more sensitive and positive one. The Chair further mentioned that the Caucus aims to amend the existing 28-year-old law related to persons with disabilities to make it more contemporary and to revise the current national policy to align with future needs. Additionally, he pointed out that the court ruling requiring public institutions to provide accessibility facilities for persons with disabilities has not been effectively implemented for the past 14 years. He affirmed that the Caucus would intervene to ensure the proper enforcement of this ruling.
Hon. Deputy Chairperson of Committees Hemali Weerasekara, Hon. Members of Parliament, Secretary General of Parliament Kushani Rohanadeera, and several other dignitaries were present at the Committee meeting held.
2026-03-19
The Parliamentary Caucus for Persons with Disabilities recently held discussions with twelve ministries on the allocations made under the 2026 Budget for persons with disabilities and the progress of their implementation. The meeting was held in Parliament under the chairmanship of Hon. Member of Parliament Sugath Wasantha de Silva.Officials of the Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development informed the Caucus that, as a pilot project commencing in April, ten low-floor buses will be deployed on two routes to facilitate the transportation needs of persons with disabilities. They further stated that there are plans to expand the service to six routes, noting that the establishment of accessible bus stops with facilities such as wheelchair access is essential. Upon the provision of such infrastructure, the service could be extended to additional routes.Officials of the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education stated that an allocation of Rs. 50 million has been made in the 2026 Budget for a special programme aimed at supporting school attendance and providing educational opportunities for children with disabilities from low-income families.Representatives of the Ranaviru Seva Authority, participating on behalf of the Ministry of Defence, highlighted that 23,192 disabled members of the tri-forces and police, who were affected during the 30-year conflict, are currently under their care. They further noted that Rs. 864 million has been allocated in the 2026 Budget to uplift the living standards of these war heroes.Officials of the Ministry of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment stated that Rs. 80 million has been allocated for vocational training programmes for youth with disabilities aged between 16 and 35 years. In addition, Rs. 17.4 million has been allocated through the Rehabilitation of the Visually Handicapped Trust Fund to provide scholarships and assistive devices for visually impaired university students.Officials representing the health sector of the Ministry of Health and Mass Media stated that a new ten-year national health policy covering the period from 2026 to 2035 is scheduled to be launched in April. They noted that special attention has been given within this policy to persons with disabilities and other vulnerable populations under the framework of Universal Health Coverage.Officials of the Ministry of Labour stated that, under an ongoing programme to promote employment among persons with disabilities, 750 individuals had been provided with employment between 2022 and 2025. They further stated that Rs. 5.75 million has been allocated in the 2026 Budget to continue these efforts.Officials of the Ministry of Digital Economy noted that provisions ensuring inclusivity of persons with disabilities have been incorporated into the proposed Digital Economy Act. They also stated that steps are being taken to develop a dedicated website containing accessible data and information for the disabled community.Officials of the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development informed the Caucus that a substantial allocation of Rs. 19,000 million has been made under the ‘Aswesuma’ welfare programme to provide allowances for low-income persons with disabilities. In addition, Rs. 1,000 million has been allocated to improve accessibility. District Secretaries have been instructed to utilize these funds to enhance access and sanitation facilities in public places such as Divisional Secretariat offices, railway stations, bus stands, courts and police stations.The Caucus was also briefed by the Ministry of Ports and Civil Aviation, the Ministry of Justice and National Integration, and the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs on programmes planned under the 2026 Budget.The meeting was attended by Deputy Co-Chair of the Caucus, Hon. Hon. Member of Parliament (Dr.) Pathmanathan Sathyalingam, and Hon. Members of Parliament Attorney-at-Law Susantha Dodawatta, Padmasiri Bandara, Chandima Hettiarachchi and Susantha Kumara Navaratne, along with a number of government officials. Representatives of the disabled community participated as observers at the invitation of the Chair, Hon. Sugath Wasantha de Silva. Officials from the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) were also present.
2026-03-17
The Committee on Public Finance has granted approval for the motion on the determination of the remuneration and the service conditions of officers and employees of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), in accordance with the Anti-Corruption Act No. 3 of 2023.This approval was given after consideration at a meeting of the Committee on Public Finance held in Parliament on 10.03.2026, under the chairmanship of Hon. Member of Parliament Dr. Harsha de Silva. Committee members present included Deputy Minister Nishantha Jayaweera and Chathuranga Abeysinghe, as well as Members of Parliament Ravi Karunanayake, Wijesiri Basnayake, and Nimal Palihena.At the meeting, Director General of the Commission, Ranga Dissanayake, stated that under the Anti-Corruption Act passed in 2023, the Commission operates as a new institution. He pointed out that the Commission is required to appoint its own officers and staff, and that their remuneration and service conditions must be determined with the concurrence of the Minister of Finance and with the approval of Parliament.He also expressed regret that these processes had been delayed for up to two years following the enactment of the law.The Ministry of Finance, through the Department of Management Services, has approved 971 positions required for the Commission, along with their salary structures, including special allowances.The Committee noted that the proposed salaries for legal officers attached to the Commission are lower than those of legal officers attached to the Attorney General’s Department. However, approval was granted in order to avoid further delays and to proceed with recruitment. The Committee emphasized the need to place these positions on proper salary scales in the future to strengthen the institution.It was also stated that a proposal regarding the salary scales of the Chairperson, Commissioners, and the Director General of the Commission will be submitted in due course. The Committee expects that these salaries will be aligned with those of Court of Appeal judges, as previously recommended.The Committee further pointed out that, given the sensitive nature of the Commission’s work, the inability of its staff to engage in private earnings or consultancy, and the potential for conflicts of interest, it is reasonable for the Commission’s staff, Commissioners, and Director General to be paid higher salaries compared to standard public sector levels.The Director General also highlighted that operating the Commission solely from Colombo poses challenges. Conducting investigations and raids nationwide from Colombo, as well as bringing witnesses to Colombo to provide testimony, creates difficulties. Therefore, there are plans to establish district-level offices in the future, with an initial aim of setting up at least nine provincial offices.
2026-03-10
The caucus will intervene to the fullest extent to bring Parliament closer to the people through transparency, accountability, participation, and inclusivity – Co-Chairs emphasizeSteps taken to develop a set of future programme proposals and a working terms of referenceA two-day residential workshop for Members of the Parliamentary Caucus for Open Parliament Initiative was successfully held on 06 and 07 March in Kalutara.The workshop was organized with the support of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) and the Coalition for Inclusive Impact (CII).Members of the caucus, including its Co-Chairs Hon. Minister of Science and Technology (Prof.) Krishantha Abeysena and Hon. Member of Parliament Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam, as well as several officials of the Parliament Secretariat, participated in the workshop.During the workshop, discussions were held on planning future programmes to be implemented by the Parliamentary Caucus for Open Parliament Initiative, drawing on the views of the caucus members and expert resource persons.Accordingly, a detailed introduction to the concepts of Open Government and Open Parliament was presented. The National Consultant, Ms. Angelina Herman, outlined the steps required to make Parliament a more accessible institution to the public through the key principles of the Open Parliament process: Transparency, Accountability, Participation, and Inclusivity. Discussions were also held on practices adopted by various countries around the world in implementing the Open Parliament concept.Furthermore, Assistant Secretary-General of Parliament Mr. Hansa Abeyratne explained the steps taken by the Parliament of Sri Lanka since the initial establishment of this caucus in 2015 to bring Parliament closer to the people.In addition, Chief Legal Officer of the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government Ms. Gayani Premathilaka delivered an awareness session on the committee system of local government institutions and ways to enhance public participation in those committees.The workshop also facilitated an exchange of knowledge and ideas between resource persons and caucus members, leading to the development of a working terms of reference and a strategic action plan for the caucus.Speaking at the event, Co-Chairs Hon. Minister (Prof.) Krishantha Abeysena and Hon. Member of Parliament Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam emphasized that the Parliamentary Caucus for Open Parliament Initiative will continue to take the necessary measures to ensure greater engagement in making Parliament a more people-centred institution.Mr. Sanje Vignaraja, Country Director for the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), and Ms. Dilashinee Angunawela, Strategy & Governance Specialist representing the Coalition for Inclusive Impact (CII), were also present on the occasion.
2026-03-06
The Third District Consultation aimed at strengthening inclusive service delivery for persons with disabilities was recently (Feb. 27) held in Batticaloa District. The event was organized by the Parliamentary Caucus for Persons with Disabilities of the Tenth Parliament and convened at the Batticaloa Municipal Council Hall . The consultation was held under the patronage of the Chair of the Caucus, Hon. Member of Parliament Sugath Wasantha de Silva and Batticaloa District Secretary J.S. Arulraj. The event was attended by the Deputy Co-Chairman, Hon. Member of Parliament (Dr.) Pathmanathan Sathyalingam, as well as Members of Parliament representing the Batticaloa District Shanakyan Rajaputhiran Rajamanickam, (Dr.) Ilayathambi Sirinath, Gnanamuthu Srinesan, and Kanthasamy Prabu. Senior government officials including Assistant District Secretary G. Praveen, District Social Service Officer Chandrakala Gnaneswaran, police officers, sectoral experts, and social development officers participated in the discussions. The representatives of the organizations of person with disabilities of Batticaloa districts were also participated in this event. The urgency of the consultation was underscored by the statistics indicating that more than 9,000 persons with disabilities reside in Batticaloa District, supported by 14 active associations. District Secretary J. S. Arulraj highlighted critical service gaps, including the immediate need for 21 trained teachers across 23 special education units currently serving 183 students. He also raised concerns regarding the issuance of formal identification cards for persons with disabilities, difficulties in obtaining driving licences, and widespread accessibility barriers in public buildings.In his address, Hon. Sugath Wasantha de Silva emphasized that the consultation represented a unified, non-partisan effort to foster a compassionate and inclusive society. He stated that services for persons with disabilities must be delivered on the basis of humanity and equality. He further announced that the Caucus plans to engage with the Ministry of Education in March to address systemic barriers in qualifying examinations for government employment. He called upon government officials and political leaders to collaborate with dedication to resolve longstanding challenges faced by persons with disabilities.Deputy Co-Chairman (Dr.) Pathmanathan Sathyalingam stressed the importance of identifying and supporting persons with disabilities in Batticaloa who have not yet received assistance. He highlighted the need for coordinated action through relevant institutions to ensure adequate facilities and services, particularly for individuals affected by conflict and other causes of disability.Members of Parliament representing the district drew attention to persistent shortcomings in service delivery and the practical challenges faced by persons with disabilities in their daily lives. The participants from disability community raised several concerns, including extending deadlines for educational allowances; adapting competitive examinations for visually impaired candidates through Braille-based alternatives; providing priority access in hospitals to reduce waiting times; ensuring that reserved seating on public transportation is respected; and improving accessibility at local government offices, where meetings are often held on upper floors without ramps or elevators.While some matters were addressed immediately through directives issued to relevant officials, others were referred to district authorities and the Parliamentary Caucus for longer-term policy reform, reflecting a commitment to sustainable and systemic change.The Chair of the Caucus reaffirmed that the Union remains committed to conducting district-level visits nationwide to listen directly to the concerns of persons with disabilities and to proposing practical, policy-driven solutions to ensure inclusive governance across Sri Lanka.The event was organized collaboratively by the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), with funding support from the Government of Australia, in partnership with the Batticaloa District Secretariat.
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