PARLIAMENT

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


Announcements by the Speaker

‘A’ :  Tabling of the Attorney-General’s letter regarding the COPE report presented to the Parliament on 28.10.2016

‘B’ :  Meeting of the Committee on Parliamentary Business


Presentation of Papers

Annual Reports of the;

(i) Sri Lanka Transport Board for the year 2012
(ii) Sri Lanka Council for Agricultural Research Policy for the year 2014
(iii) Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research and Training Institute for the years 2013 and 2014

(iv) Performance Report of the Ministry of Water Supply and Drainage for the year 2014

(v) Notification made by the Minister of Finance under Section 32 of the Excise Ordinance (Chapter 52) on rules governing Distilleries/Warehouses and published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 1996/52 of 09th December 2016.
(Excise Notification No. 991)

(vi) Notification made by the Minister of Finance under Section 22(1) of the Excise Ordinance (Chapter 52) relating to duty on bottled toddy and published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 1998/6 of  20th  December 2016.
(Excise Notification No. 993)

(vii) Supplementary Allocations from the Supplementary Support Services and Contingent Liabilities Project appearing under Expenditure Head No. 240 of the Department of National Budget-2016 as at 31.12.2016 and  2017 as at 31.01.2017  under Section 6(1) of the Appropriation Act ,No. 16 of 2015 and Act No. 24 of 2016, respectively


Presentation of Reports from the Committees

(i) The Report of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Reconciliation and North & East Reconstruction was presented by the Hon. Douglas Devananda on behalf of the Chairman of the Committee, the Hon. Mavai S. Senathirajah.

(ii) The Report of the Committee on Public Finance was presented by its Chairman, the Hon. M. A. Sumanthiran.

(iii) The Report of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Legal Affairs (anti-corruption) and Media was presented by its Chairman, the Hon. Ajith Mannapperuma.


Presentation of Petitions

(i) Hon. Mahindananda Aluthgamage                   
(ii) Hon. Lucky Jayawardana                   -          Four Petitions
(iii) Hon. Nihal Galappaththi                    -          Four Petitions
(iv) Hon. Edward Gunasekara                 -           Four Petitions

(Petition stands referred to the Committee on Public Petitions)


Questions under Standing Order 23(2) of the Parliament

(i) The Hon. Dinesh Gunawardena

Regarding the Publication of a Gazette Notification relating to the Bond issue of the CBSL

(ii) The Hon. Douglas Devananda

Artefacts of Tamil people in Trincomalee district

(iii) The Hon. Anura Dissanayaka

Injustice caused to the samurdhi recipients regarding mismanagement of distribution of Samurdhi benefits


Ministerial Statements

(i) Minister of Law and Order and Southern Development replied to the Question raised by the Hon. Anura Dissanayaka under Standing Order 23(2) of the Parliament regarding the CEO of SAITM shot at Malabe

(ii) Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade replied to the Question raised by the Hon. Douglas Devananda under Standing Order 23(2) of the Parliament regarding the Establishment of the producing centre of Coca-Cola Company in Sri Lanka


Presentation of Bills

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

“International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance”

to give effect to the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance; to ensure the right to Justice and Reparation to Victims of Enforced Disappearance; and  to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.


Main Business of the House for Today

Two Orders under the Excise (Special Provisions) Act

were passed by the House.


Motion at the Adjournment Time

Motion at the Adjournment Time on “Development of coconut cultivation in Sri Lanka” was proposed by the Hon. Edward Gunasekara.


The Parliament was, thereafter adjourned at 1844 Hrs. until 1300 Hrs. on Wednesday 8th March 2017.

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