PARLIAMENT

The Hon. Karu Jayasuriya, the Speaker took the Chair.


Announcements by the Speaker

‘A’ :  Receipt of the copy of a petition filed at the Supreme Court


Presentation of Papers

Annual Report of the Central Environmental Authority for the year 2014


Presentation of Reports from the Committees

Presentation of the Reports of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on;

(i) Health and Human Welfare, Social Empowerment
(ii) Energy


Presentation of Petitions

Public Petitions were presented by the following Hon. MP:-

The Hon. Buddhika Pathirana - Two Petitions

(Petitions stand referred to the Committee on Public Petitions)


Questions under Standing Order 23(2) of the Parliament

The Hon. Douglas Devananda

Maintenance of surgical unit for heart operations in National Hospital


Ministerial Statements

Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Hon. Mangala Samaraweera made a Ministerial Statement regarding the Government stance on the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad


Main Business of the House for Today

The following Motions (appearing as Item No. 1, 2 and 5 of today’s Order Paper) were moved by the House and Passed:-

(i) Making use of Government Schools and Universities for education units, during vacations

That this Parliament resolves that adult and non formal education units should be started on concessionary rates with the involvement of business community, Non Government Organizations, Chambers of Commerce and community based organizations during school holidays and afternoon sessions and University vacations.

(ii) Reserving suitable grazing land for cattle

That this Parliament resolves that a suitable grazing land in the Trincomalee district be declared, reserved, and published in the Gazette, since there are roughly 250,000 animals there that need grazing land and the Government policy of increasing the milk production is hindered by the non availability of dedicated grazing land in the district.

(iii) Filling the vacancies of the special category of employees in Sri Lanka Educational Administrative Service prevailing in the Northern Province Department of Education, based on the seniority and merit and placing the selectees in Grade III exempting them from the competitive exam

That this Parliament resolves that a proper analysis should be made in regard to the filling of vacancies in the special category of employees in Sri Lanka Educational Administrative Service in the Department of Education, Northern Province and the officers in Sri Lanka Principals Service and Sri Lanka Teachers’ Service who are engaged in the relevant duties should be appointed to the aforesaid positions based on their seniority and merit, and they should be placed in Grade III of Sri Lanka Educational Administrative Service exempting them from the requirement of sitting for the competitive exam.


Motion at the Adjournment Time

Motion at the Adjournment Time on the “Monitoring and evaluation of allocation of money from the National Budget for Development Programmes” was moved by the Hon. Buddhika Pathirana.


The Parliament was, thereafter adjourned at 1530 Hrs. until 1030 Hrs. on Thursday 20th October 2016.

*  This is an unedited version. For the official record of this day's proceedings, please refer the Hansard.