2021-08-06
News Categories : Committee News
All steps have been taken to expedite the sending of Sri Lankans for Korean employment opportunities which have been delayed due to the prevailing Covid-19 situation, Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said at a meeting of Ministerial Consultative Committee on Foreign held in Parliament recently (04).
The Minister said that the matter had already been discussed at the diplomatic level and that the Korean Ambassador had made a special proposal to provide employment opportunities to Sri Lankans in the agricultural sector in Korea. However, due to the delay in the prevailing Covid situation, all relevant steps are already being taken, the Minister said.
The Minister was speaking when Parliamentarian Gamini Waleboda said that there was an opportunity for Sri Lankans to work in Korea.
Addressing the committee, Member of Parliament Gevidu Kumaratunga said that ‘The Overseas Operations Act’ passed by the British Parliament has exempted British soldiers from war crimes committed abroad five years ago. In this context, it is not justifiable to make allegations of human rights abuses even when the Sri Lankan Army stands up for the security of its homeland, he said.
He also pointed out that the voices must be raised against the use of human rights in opposition to the independence of countries. He also called for action to be taken to reveal to the world the true situation of the Sri Lankan Army which has set an example to the world by launching a humanitarian operation.
Commenting on this, Foreign Secretary Admiral (Prof.) Jayanath Colombage stated that the matter is being studied. The Foreign Secretary said that the people of the North and East of the country will be given back their lands and that the international community will be made aware of all these matters.
Speaking at the meeting, Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said that Sri Lanka had also expressed its views in this regard at the last Human Rights Council in Geneva. He also said that a special Presidential Commission chaired by Supreme Court Judge Nawaz has been appointed to gather evidence in this regard. An interim report of this commission has been submitted to the President and steps have been taken to inform the British High Commissioner in Sri Lanka, the Minister said.
Also, MP Chandima Weerakkody pointed out that since many countries have labeled Sri Lanka as a "red country" in this Covid situation, separate relations should be maintained with the relevant countries to change this attitude towards Sri Lanka. He also pointed out that the appointment of a Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India has been delayed for two years.
State Minister Tharaka Balasuriya stated that a strategic plan has been prepared with the relevant parties for this purpose. Although this is difficult in practice with the situation prevailing in some countries, the state minister explained that all steps are being taken for this. It was also revealed that a High Commissioner to India will assume duties on the 15th of this month.
MP S. Rasamanikkam pointed out that since most of the public issues related to foreign affairs come to the MPs, a coordinating officer should be appointed at the ministerial level. The Foreign Secretary stated that necessary steps will be taken to resolve this issue.
Mr. Rasamanikkam also inquired about the launch of a ferry service between Rameshwaran in Tamil Nadu and Thalai Mannar. The Foreign Secretary stated that the Indian side has agreed to this and that the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Ports have not reached a final decision in this regard.
Member of Parliament (Dr.) Suren Raghavan, brought to the notice of the committee that the conduct of foreign service examinations has been delayed. The Foreign Secretary said that the conduct of the examination has been delayed due to the prevailing situation and that the Department of Examinations will take immediate action in this regard. It was revealed that this examination was held in 2018 for the last time and currently there are vacancies for officers. Therefore, arrangements have been made by the Department of Examinations to conduct the examination and after that interview will be conducted by the Ministerial level to fill the relevant vacancies, the Foreign Secretary said.
The Ministerial Consultative Committee on Foreign chaired by Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena was attended by State Minister Tharaka Balasuriya, Members of Parliament Dilan Perera, S. Rasamanikkam, Gamini Waleboda, Dr. Suren Raghavan, Yadamini Gunawardena and Sudath Manjula, Foreign Secretary Admiral (Prof.) Jayanath Colombage. The other officers joined the meeting online.
2025-04-23
The second Parliamentary Sub-Committee on “Strengthening the legal framework related to the transport sector and steering the transport sector in a positive direction”, established by the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation discussed the need to focus on the transport needs of the community with disabilities. This sub-committee meeting was held on 10.04.2025 at the Parliament premises, chaired by the Hon. Member of Parliament, Lakmali Hemachandra, Attorney-at-Law. Hon. Member of Parliament Sugath Wasantha de Silva, Chair of the Parliamentary Caucus for Persons with Disabilities and a member of the sub-committee, also participated in the meeting. In addition, a group of representatives, including heads of organizations and institutions representing various segments of the community with disabilities, attended the Committee meeting. Accordingly, the challenges encountered in fulfilling the transport needs of the community with disabilities and the proposals to address these issues were extensively discussed during the sub-committee meeting. It was identified that the lack of proper accessibility to transportation modes is a major issue faced by the community with disabilities. Due to the absence of appropriate access facilities for buses and trains, persons with disabilities are often compelled to rely on hired vehicles, which results in them incurring significant expenses, a concern they highlighted to the sub-committee. The representatives pointed out that although the Gazette Notification issued under the Disabled Persons (Accessibility) Regulations, No. 1 of. 2006 mandates the provision of proper facilities for this community, many institutions and individuals fail to comply with these regulations. They also brought to the attention of the sub-committee the need to ensure the effective implementation of these laws in order to deliver tangible benefits to the community with disabilities. Representatives from these organizations also indicated to the sub-committee that certain conduct by bus conductors causes serious inconvenience to individuals with disabilities. They emphasized the necessity of not only legislative reforms but also improving attitudes towards persons with disabilities The need for legislation to allocate seats on buses and trains specifically for personas with disabilities, allowing them to board buses without the need for conductors’ assistance, and ensuring appropriate communication facilities at railway stations for the convenience of the disabled. Additionally, several other issues impacting this community were addressed. Furthermore, it was pointed out that the issuance of driving licenses to individuals with hearing impairments has been discontinued. The representatives appealed to the sub-committee to intervene and ensure that this facility is reinstated for those individuals. Accordingly, the Committee Chair stated that the issues and proposals submitted by the community with disabilities should be sent in writing to the sub-committee within two weeks. She further stated that after reviewing these submissions, a final report would be submitted to the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation.
2025-04-23
The Ministry of Transport is also requested to submit proposals within two months Sub-Committee also looks into developing a formal system to check the suitability of public transport vehicles National Transport Commission instructed to submit proposals to increase the professionalism of public transport drivers within a month Discussions were held regarding proposals to strengthen the existing legal framework to ensure the safety of public transport, including the safety of bus passengers at the Parliamentary Sub-Committee on “Strengthening the legal framework related to the transport sector and steering the transport sector in a positive direction”, established by the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation. This Sub-Committee met on 09.04.2025 under the chairpersonship of Hon. Member of Parliament, Lakmali Hemachandra, Attorney at Law, during which attention was drawn to this matter. Accordingly, officials representing the Ministry of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation and several institutions under its purview participated in the Sub-Committee meeting. Their views were obtained with regard to strengthening the legal framework to ensure the safety of passengers using public transport. The need to regulate the procedure for issuing fitness certificates for public transport buses was emphasized during the Sub-Committee. Officials stated that under Section 29 of the Motor Traffic Act, these fitness certificates are issued for buses, lorries, and ambulances by garages registered under the Provincial Councils, without regulation from the Department of Motor Traffic. Due to issues concerning the standards and reliability of these garages, the Chairperson of the Sub-Committee stressed the need to establish a formal procedure for this purpose. The necessity of enforcing “construction regulations” under Section 19 of the Motor Traffic Act was also discussed. Accordingly, detailed discussions were held regarding aspects such as the required spacing between seats, removal of unnecessary equipment, and installation of seat belts in both newly imported and existing buses for passenger safety. Based on the relevant data and information, the Ministry of Transport was instructed to prepare a report with proposals on the measures to be implemented concerning passenger safety in public transportation and submit it to the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Transport within two months. Furthermore, attention was drawn to the necessary steps to enhance the professionalism of public transport drivers. Accordingly, the Chairperson of the Sub-Committee directed the National Transport Commission to submit proposals for the standardization of the driving profession within one month. It was also instructed that data related to road accidents that occurred during the past three months be promptly submitted to the Sub-Committee. The Chairperson of the Sub-Committee emphasized the importance of preparing future recommendations based on this data. Attention was also drawn to strengthening the necessary legal provisions for enforcing the law against the use of drugs by bus drivers. Officials mentioned that regulations relevant to this matter under the Motor Traffic Act are currently in the final stage of preparation. The need to promptly implement these regulations and to properly establish the technological mechanisms required to detect drug substances in the bodies of drivers was highlighted. This Sub-Committee primarily examines possible short-term and long-term changes to laws and regulations related to the transport sector, following which a report containing the necessary recommendations is to be prepared. Hon. Member of Parliament Sugath Wasantha de Silva also participated in this Sub-Committee meeting.
2025-04-10
The Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) of Parliament, chaired by Hon. Member of Parliament (Dr.) Nishantha Samaraweera, conducted a field investigation at the Bandaranaike International Airport on 09.04.2025. The COPE recently (2025.04.02) reviewed the Bandaranaike International Airport Development Project in connection with the Auditor General's Reports for the years 2022 and 2023 and the current performance of the Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) (Private) Limited (AASL), and accordingly conducted this field investigation. It was expected that the number of aircraft stands at Bandaranaike International Airport would be increased through the construction of a Remote Apron and Taxiways as part of the Bandaranaike International Airport Development Project. However, it was observed that both the AASL and the Japanese joint venture company hired for design and consultancy services had undertaken these activities without proper technical or operational analysis. As a result, achieving the project's objectives proved challenging. Despite several weaknesses and practical challenges identified at the planning stage, the Committee noted that steps were taken to complete the project. Accordingly, the solutions already proposed by AASL to achieve the desired objectives of the project were also observed. The COPE members held extensive discussions with local representatives from the Japanese joint venture and senior officials from relevant institutions. During these discussions, the Committee expressed displeasure over the financial losses incurred by the government due to these oversight issues and poor planning. The Committee recommended that, to prevent further misuse of public funds in future development activities, attention must be given to the issues arising during planning stages. The Committee decided to reconvene with the officials from AASL in the near future to continue discussions on the matter. The field inspection was attended by Hon. Members of Parliament M.K.M. Aslam, Samanmali Gunasinghe, Lieutenant Commander (Retd.) Prageeth Madhuranga, Ruwan Mapalagama, Sunil Rajapaksa, Thilina Samarakoon, and Chandima Hettiarachchi, along with officials from relevant institutions and parliamentary officials.
2025-04-10
Autistic children on the rise - Over 9,000 children in Sri Lanka identified – Officials inform the Committee Proceed with the mechanism to identify children with autism at the early childhood development stage. – Hon. Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Savithri Paulraj Officials of the Ministry of Education have informed the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Women and Child Affairs that a six-month training program has been proposed for students who are undergoing training to become teachers, in their respective Colleges of education on handling children with disabilities. The officials further stated that the objective of this training is to equip teachers with the necessary knowledge and attitudes to treat children with disabilities equally to other children. This matter was discussed at the meeting of the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Women and Child Affairs, held on 08.04.2025 at Parliament, chaired by Hon. Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Savithri Paulraj. Hon. Deputy Minister of Women and Child Affairs, (Dr.) Namal Sudarshana, was also present at the occasion. During the discussion, officials highlighted that there has been a noticeable increase in the number of children diagnosed with autism in Sri Lanka. According to statistics, over 9,000 children have currently been identified, the officials informed the Committee. The Committee Chair emphasized that due to the lack of proper diagnosis, many children continue to suffer from various disabilities. The Chair further stated that children with autism should be identified during their early developmental stages and that only through early diagnosis can they be guided toward a healthy developmental path. Accordingly, she stressed the need to implement an active mechanism to monitor and attend to children from birth, starting from the period under the supervision of the Public Health Midwife and throughout the early childhood development stages. She also revealed that plans are in place to establish three model daycare centers in identified regions for children with autism. It was also proposed to appoint a committee to carry out the necessary arrangements for this initiative, with the intention of guiding such children through appropriate stages of development. Moreover, the Committee also engaged in an extensive discussion regarding the necessity of ensuring that children residing in children's homes and institutions due to vulnerabilities or financial hardships are provided with care within the family environment without being separated from their biological families. Officials from the Department of Probation and Child Care Services informed the Committee that placing a child under probationary care takes place only through a judicial process. Accordingly, they stated that steps will be taken to educate judges on the importance of providing care for such children within their family setting rather than institutionalizing them. The Chair also stated that steps are being taken to bring preschools operating under various mechanisms across the island under one standardized system. Additionally, officials informed the Committee that a joint policy on preschool education is currently being developed collaboratively by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs. They also stressed the importance of implementing the preschool curriculum framework that has already been drafted. The Committee also discussed at length the issue of children in plantation areas being drawn toward the use of illicit alcohol and drugs. Furthermore, concerns were raised about the increasing tendency of these children to use harmful substances such as "Babool" and "Pan Parag." It was revealed during the discussion that these harmful substances have not been included in the list of prohibited imported items by the Consumer Affairs Authority. Therefore, the Committee decided to request the Consumer Affairs Authority to take necessary steps to include these substances in the banned imports list. The Chair also revealed that there have been instances where maternity leave has not been granted during the third childbirth. Officials pointed out that according to amended laws, the same benefits provided for the first and second live births should also be granted for the third and all subsequent live births, but this has not been adequately communicated to the society. The appointment of Tamil-speaking female officers to police stations in the Jaffna District was also discussed at the Committee meeting. Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police, Ms. Renuka Jayasundara, stated that there are currently 56 female officers serving in Jaffna, of whom 21 are working in women and children's units. Among them, only around 8 female officers are capable of working in the Tamil language, she further stated. The Committee also inquired into the lack of discussion on women and children's issues within the policy frameworks of regional and district coordinating committees. District Secretaries have now been informed to ensure that such topics are included in relevant committee discussions, and it was reported that, at present, these subjects are being addressed in those committees. The importance of ensuring the participation of the chairperson of the District Coordinating Committee and all officers involved in women and children’s affairs in the Children’s Rights Promotion Committees held at the Divisional Secretariat level was also emphasized during the meeting. A number of Hon. Ministers, Hon. State Ministers, Committee Members, other Members of Parliament, and officials participated in this Consultative Committee meeting.
Handbook of Parliament
The System of Elections in Sri Lanka
How Parliament Works
Business of Parliament
Copyright © The Parliament of Sri Lanka.
All Rights Reserved.
Design & Developed by TekGeeks
