2023-06-21
News Categories : Committee News
The Ministerial Consultative Committee on Plantation Industries decided to hold a discussing with the Hon. President regarding the activities of private sector estate companies.
This decision was taken at the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Plantation Industries Chaired by Hon. (Dr.) Ramesh Pathirana.
The Chair pointed out to the Members present that post leasing, the private sector plantation companies at present are showcasing more interest in other industries other than the plantation of tea, rubber etc., that they do not maintain the estates properly and are not interested in the welfare facilities of the employees. It was also discussed that the government does not have a proper mechanism to monitor the activities of such estate companies.
The Members brought the attention of the Committee that these big estate companies pay very little wages to the workers and even basic facilities are not provided in some estates. The Minister also stated that since these estates have been leased to the private sector under very weak lease agreements, it has become difficult to regulate the activities of these estate companies.
The Minister said that most of these companies do not develop infrastructure and it is observed that some companies, especially tea plantations, are far away from it. A large number of hectares under such companies have been identified as unused land without cultivation, he said.
The Minister said that he hopes to discuss the matter with the President and resolve the issues quickly.
Meanwhile, the problems seen in plantation crops like coconut and the effects of pests were also discussed at the Committee meeting held. The Minister instructed the authorities to focus on resuming coconut cultivation in Matara district which had been stopped due to pest infestation.
State Minister Hon. Janaka Wakkumbura, Members of Parliament Hon. Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Hon. (Dr.) V. Radhakrishnan, Hon. M. Rameshwaran, Hon. Weerasumana Weerasinghe, Hon. Udayakantha Gunathilaka were present at the Committee meeting held.
2025-11-08
Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education, Manpower and Human Capital instructed the respective officials to obtain the necessary human resources, at least on a temporary basis, to commence the studies of the 17th batch of students at the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, of the University of Ruhuna. University authorities stated that although the students who sat for the G.C.E. (Advanced Level) Examination in 2023 and were granted university admission were selected to the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences of the University of Ruhuna, more than a year has lapsed without commencing their academic activities due to the shortage of human resources prevailing at the faculty. This matter was discussed at the recent meeting of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education, Manpower and Human Capital held in Parliament under the chairmanship of Hon. Member of Parliament Hesha Withanage. The Hon. Leader of the Opposition, Sajith Premadasa, also participated in this committee meeting. Expressing views during the discussion, university authorities presented to the Committee the facts regarding the shortage of human resources at the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences of the University of Ruhuna. However, they stated that necessary measures are currently being taken to provide the required human resources. Speaking at the meeting, the Hon. Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa emphasized that due to the problem that has arisen, approximately 250 students are facing severe torment. He stressed the importance of commencing academic activities by obtaining the required human resources or on least on a temporary basis in order to resolve this issue. Accordingly, the university officials stated that they expect to implement the necessary measures promptly in consultation with the Ministry of Education to commence the academic activities of the 17th batch of students of the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences. Meanwhile, the fiscal and physical progress of the budget proposals for the year 2025 of the Ministries of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, and Youth Affairs and Sports, as well as the expected progress up to 31.12.2025, were also considered at this Committee meeting. At the meeting, the Secretaries of the respective ministries pointed out that due to several challenging situations affecting the overall performance, it has not been possible to achieve the expected level of progress. They further stated that due to issues prevailing in the procurement process and in building construction, the expected progress could not be attained; however, since only a short period remains for this year, they expect to improve the relevant progress within that time. This meeting was attended by Hon. Members of Parliament Sugath Wasantha de Silva, Sunil Rajapaksha, and Chanaka Madugoda, along with Secretaries and officials of the Ministries of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, and Youth Affairs and Sports, the Chairman of the University Grants Commission, the Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ruhuna, the Dean of the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, and members of the academic staff.
2025-11-08
Jointly organized by the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus (WPC) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) The “Bridging Voices: Regional Exchange for Women Leaders” forum was held in Jaffna, marking a significant first step toward building a peer-to-peer mentorship network linking women leaders from across Sri Lanka. The forum was jointly organized by the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus (WPC) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Sri Lanka. The event brought together national and subnational women leaders from Parliament, local government, education, and business sectors to share experiences, discuss barriers, and identify practical solutions to strengthen women’s leadership. The dialogue was attended by Hon. Minister of Women and Child Affairs and Chair of the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus (WPC) (Mrs.) Saroja Savithri Paulraj, alongside WPC members Hon. Deputy Chair of Committees (Mrs.) Hemali Weerasekara, Hon. Members of Parliament Hasara Liyanage, Thushari Jayasingha, Anushka Thilakarathne, and M.A.C.S. Chathuri Gangani. Ms. Azusa Kubota, Resident Representative of UNDP Sri Lanka, and Mr. Chathuranga Hapuarachchi, Parliament and Media Specialist, UNDP Sri Lanka, joined the discussions together with senior government officials from the Northern Province and representatives from the University of Jaffna. The forum resulted in a shared commitment to create a sustainable mentorship network and develop a report capturing key insights and recommendations from women leaders in the North. This report will support the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus in advancing evidence-based policy decisions that address challenges faced by women in leadership and strengthen inclusive governance across Sri Lanka.
2025-11-08
“If the services you provide truly satisfy persons with disabilities, that same satisfaction will reflect back on you as a service provider.” - Hon. Member of Parliament Sugath Wasantha de Silva A special district-level Consultation Programme on Improving Disability Inclusive Service Delivery was held on 4th November 2025 at the Skill Development Centre of the Kilinochchi District Secretariat, under the patronage of the Parliamentary Caucus for Persons with Disabilities. In line with the aspiration of creating a “Disability-Sensitive Parliament” the Parliamentary Caucus for Persons with Disabilities of the 10th Parliament, has initiated a series of consultation programmes across the island to gather direct opinions from persons with disabilities. Accordingly, the first phase of this initiative was conducted with a focus on the Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts. This special programme was chaired by Hon. Member of Parliament and Chair of the Parliamentary Caucus for Persons with Disabilities Sugath Wasantha de Silva, with the participation of Hon. Member of Parliament and Deputy Co-Chair of the Caucus (Dr.) Pathmanathan Sathiyalingam. Nearly 100 participants attended the programme, including Kilinochchi District Secretary Mr. S. Muralitharan, Mullaitivu Additional District Secretary Ms. Satheesan Manjuladevi, representatives of local government institutions, Divisional Secretaries, officials representing the health sector and the police, representatives of organizations of persons with disabilities in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu, and persons with disabilities. The programme was conducted with the sponsorship and logistical support of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) with the funding support from Australian Government and, in collaboration with the District Secretariats of Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu. Ms. Anojitha Sivaskaran, Programme Officer of IFES, was also present on this occasion. Addressing the gathering, Hon. Sugath Wasantha de Silva, MP, requested all government officials to treat persons with disabilities who approach them for services with compassion and to ensure their needs are properly met. He emphasized that by viewing issues from the perspective of persons with disabilities, officials can better identify their true needs, and that the joy reflected in the smiles of satisfied service recipients can bring fulfillment to one’s professional life. He further noted that steps have been taken to amend the existing Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, incorporating changes that reflect developments over the past two decades. The proposed amendments also aim to include over 25 rights outlined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). Alongside this, a National Policy and National Action Plan for persons with disabilities are being formulated. Deputy Co-Chair Hon. MP (Dr.) Pathmanathan Sathiyalingam, in his remarks, highlighted the importance of conducting such programmes in the Northern Province, where the needs of persons with disabilities are significant. He further stressed that the Parliamentary Caucus for Persons with Disabilities of the Tenth Parliament stands above political divisions in pursuing necessary legal and policy reforms for the benefit of persons with disabilities. He also announced that the national programme marking the International Day of Persons with Disabilities will be held this year in the Jaffna District. Additionally, he emphasized the continued importance of police support in enforcing road safety and compliance with traffic regulations. Kilinochchi District Secretary Mr. S. Muralitharan and Mullaitivu Additional District Secretary Ms. Satheesan Manjuladevi also expressed their views, noting that the current government benefits provided to persons with disabilities are insufficient to fully meet their needs, and highlighted the necessity of policy decisions to increase such benefits in the future. During the discussions, participants addressed a wide range of issues and challenges faced by persons with disabilities in the Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts, including the services that can be provided and improved at the local institutional level. Topics discussed in depth included; Shortage of social service officers, the need for a nationally recognized identity card for persons with disabilities, employment opportunities and security, difficulties in accessing health and transport services, provision of land for self-employment ventures, need for sign language interpretation services, issues related to issuing driving licenses to persons with disabilities, need for trained teachers for students with disabilities and availability of better-equipped schools in the district. The Caucus also presented recommendations and possible solutions to the matters raised. Following the consultation, the Chair of the Caucus stated that the Parliamentary Caucus for Persons with Disabilities will coordinate with relevant ministries and Parliament to implement necessary policy reforms. Officials present also assured that District Secretariats will follow up to ensure the proper implementation of decisions and improvements in local service delivery.
2025-11-06
A high-level Chinese delegation led by Hon. Wang Guosheng, Member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and Director of its Economic Affairs Committee, today (Nov. 06) met with a group of Parliamentary committee members. Accordingly, the delegation met with members of the, the Committee on Ways and Means, and the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Economic Development and International Relations and other Members of Parliament at the Parliamentary premises. The delegation also participated in a luncheon meeting hosted by Hon. Deputy Speaker Dr. Rizvi Salih, during which discussions were held on further enhancing bilateral relations between the two countries. During the discussions, the delegation reaffirmed China’s commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation and expressed their intention to encourage Chinese investment in Sri Lanka across multiple sectors. Chair of the Committee on Ways and Means Hon. Member of Parliament Wijesiri Basnayake; Chair of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Economic Development and International Relations Hon. Member of Parliament Lakmali Hemachandra (Attorney-at-Law); and Hon. Members of Parliament Ravi Karunanayake, Sujeewa Senasinghe (Attorney-at-Law), K. Sujith Sanjaya Perera, Ruwan Mapalagama, and Chathura Galappaththi participated in the discussions. Secretary General of Parliament Mrs. Kushani Rohanadeera, Director (Legislative Services) and Acting Director (Communication) Mr. M. Jayalath Perera and a group of Parliamentary officials were also present at this meeting. During the meeting, the chair of the Committee on Ways and Means Hon. Member of Parliament Wijesiri Basnayake emphasized the deep-rooted friendship between Sri Lanka and China, noting that this visit further strengthens their longstanding bilateral relations. He expressed appreciation for China’s continued support in various fields and highlighted that the recent visit of Hon. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to China had further enhanced this partnership. Speaking at the meeting, Hon. Wang Guosheng described Sri Lanka as a close friend of China and reaffirmed China’s commitment to advancing cooperation in diverse areas including tourism, trade, and investment. He also noted that they hope to encourage more Chinese enterprises to explore the investment opportunities in Sri Lanka. Chair of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Economic Development and International Relations Hon. Member of Parliament Lakmali Hemachandra (Attorney-at-Law) requested the Chinese delegation’s assistance in advancing Sri Lanka’s industrial sector, emphasizing the nation’s focus on sustainable economic development and technology-driven growth. She also conveyed her sincere gratitude for the hospitality extended to the Sri Lankan delegation during their visit a few months earlier. Speaking at the meeting, Hon. Members of Parliament Ravi Karunanayake and Sujeewa Senasinghe (Attorney-at-Law) underscored the need to deepen economic cooperation and explore opportunities for establishing manufacturing facilities in Sri Lanka. Members of the Chinese delegation included Hon. Fu Zhifang, Member of the CPPCC National Committee and Deputy Director of the Economic Affairs Committee; Hon. Mao Digzhi, Member of the CPPCC Economic Affairs Committee; Mr. Liu Huanxing, Director of the Office of the CPPCC Economic Affairs Committee; Mr. Zhang Jinjie, Director of the Fiscal and Economic Division of the CPPCC Economic Affairs Committee; and H.E. Qi Zhenhong, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Sri Lanka. The meeting concluded with both sides reaffirming their commitment to deepening cooperation and promoting mutually beneficial partnerships between Sri Lanka and China.
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