PARLIAMENT

The Hon. Thilanga Sumathipala, the Deputy Speaker and Chairman of Committees took the Chair.


Announcements by the Speaker

‘A’ :  Determination of the Supreme Court on the Bill entitled “Value Added Tax (Amendment)”


Presentation of Papers by the Speaker

• The Second Instalment – Part XX and Fourth Instalment – Part XI of the Report of the Auditor–General for the Financial Year 2013; and
• The Second Instalment – Parts XIV,XV and XVI, Third Instalment – Part IV and Fourth Instalment – Parts VIII,IX and X  of the Report of the Auditor–General for the Financial Year 2014

in terms of Article 154(6) of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.

Parliament granted approval to print the Reports.


Presentation of Papers

Performance Reports of the;

(i) Coast Conservation and Coastal Resource Management Department for the year 2015
(ii) District Secretariat of Badulla for the year 2015
(iii) Department of Probation and Child Care Services for the year 2015

Annual Reports of the;

(iv) Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority for the year 2014
(v) National Aquaculture Development Authority of Sri Lanka for the year 2014
(vi) Coconut Development Authority for the years 2013 and 2014
(vii) National Housing Development Authority for the year 2012
(viii) Institute for Construction Training and Development for the year 2013

(ix) The Order made by the Minister of Finance, under Section 32 read with Section 22 of the Excise Ordinance (Chapter 52), regarding impose of excise duty on foreign liquor and impose of rules with regard to import of foreign liquor, and published in Gazette Extraordinary No. 1981/87 of 26th August 2016

(x) Order made by the Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade under Section 14(1) of the Sri Lanka Export Development Act, No. 40 of 1979 relating to Cess and published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 1981/32 of 23rd August 2016


Presentation of Petitions

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

(i) The Hon. Sujeewa Senasinghe        - Two Petitions
(ii) The Hon. Lasantha Alagiyawanna                   
(iii) The Hon. Ashok Abeysinghe            - Three Petitions
(iv) The Hon. Karunarathna Paranawithana                   
(v) The Hon. Bandula Gunawardane                   
(vi) The Hon. Sirinal de Mel                   
(vii) The Hon. Anura Sidney Jayarathne                   
(viii) The Hon. Mohan Priyadarshana De Silva   - Three Petitions
(ix) The Hon. Ishak Rahuman

(Petitions stand referred to the Committee on Public Petitions)


Questions under Standing Order 23(2) of the Parliament

The Hon. Rajavarothiam Sampanthan and the Hon. Douglas Devananda raised the issue of “Recent Death of two undergraduates of Jaffna University" and the Hon. Dinesh Gunawardena also raised the same issue together with other serious incidents in Jaffna, Puttalam and Colombo.


Ministerial Statements

(i) Minister of Law and Order and Southern Development replied to the Questions raised by the above mentioned Hon. Members of Parliament under Standing Order 23(2) of the Parliament

(ii) Prime Minister and Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs replied to the Question raised by Hon. Anura Dissanayaka regarding the problems faced by depositors of UB finance company on a previous occasion


Presentation of Bills

The Hon. Lakshman Kiriella, Minister of Higher Education and Highways and Leader of the House of Parliament moved the Bill entitled

“Land (Restrictions on Alienation) (Amendment)”

to amend the Land (Restrictions of Alienation) Act, No.38 of 2014.


Private Members’ Bills

(i) The Hon. M.A. Sumanthiran was granted leave to introduce the following Bill, entitled

“Saravanapavan Foundation (Incorporation)”

(ii) The Hon. Shehan Semasinghe was granted leave to introduce the following Bill, entitled

“Mahipala Herath Janasahana Foundation (Incorporation)”

(iii) The Hon. Malith Jayathilake was granted leave to introduce the following Bill, entitled

“Maithripala Sirisena Lakdaru Diriya Foundation (Incorporation)”

The above Bills were referred to the Minister of Social Empowerment and Welfare for report to Parliament under Standing Order 47 (5) of the Parliament.


Main Business of the House for Today

Select Committee of Parliament on the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

was passed by the House having proposed by the Hon. Buddhika Pathirana and seconded by the Hon. Lucky Jayawardana.


Adjournment Motion

Adjournment Motion on the “First Report of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) which was presented to the House on 09.08.2016” was moved by the Hon. Anura Dissanayaka.


The Parliament was, thereafter adjourned at 1930 Hrs. until 1030 Hrs. on Wednesday 26th October 2016.

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