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Home , Rauff Hakeem

(Ninth Parliament - First Session)

No. 3.] MINUTES OF PARLIAMENT

Thursday, August 27, 2020 at 9.30 a.m.

PRESENT :

Hon. Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana, Speaker Hon. , Deputy Speaker and the Chair of Committees Hon. , Deputy Chairperson of Committees

Hon. , Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious & Cultural Affairs and Minister of Urban Development & Housing Hon. Rohitha Abegunawardhana, Minister of Ports & Shipping Hon. , Minister of Environment Hon. , Minister of Power Hon. , Minister of Agriculture Hon. , Minister of Energy Hon. , Minister of Foreign and Leader of the House of Parliament Hon. (Dr.) Bandula Gunawardana, Minister of Trade Hon. S. M. Chandrasena, Minister of Lands Hon. Janaka Bandara Thennakoon, Minister of Public Services, Provincial Councils & Local Government Hon. , Minister of Labour Hon. , Minister of Water Supply Hon. (Dr.) , Minister of Plantation Hon. (Prof.) G. L. Peiris, Minister of Education Hon. , Minister of Highways and Chief Government Whip Hon. , Minister of Tourism Hon. C. B. Rathnayake, Minister of Wildlife & Forest Conservation Hon. , Minister of Mass Media Hon. , Minister of Irrigation and State Minister of Internal Security, Home Affairs and Disaster Management Hon. Namal Rajapaksa, Minister of Youth & Sports Hon. , Minister of Transport

( 2 ) M. No. 3 Hon. , Minister of Industries Hon. M .U. M. Ali Sabry, Minister of Justice

Hon. , State Minister of Vehicle Regulation, Bus Transport Services and Train Compartments and Motor Car Industry Hon. (Dr.) (Mrs.) , State Minister of Skills Development, Vocational Education, Research and Innovation Hon. , State Minister of Co-operative Services, Marketing Development and Consumer Protection Hon. , State Minister of Money & Capital Market and State Enterprise Reforms Hon. , State Minister of Canals and Common Infrastructure Development in Settlements in Mahaweli Zones Hon. (Dr.) , State Minister of Urban Development, Coast Conservation, Waste Disposal and Community Cleanliness Hon. D. V. Chanaka, State Minister of Aviation and Export Zones Development Hon. , State Minister of Indigenous Medicine Promotion, Rural and Ayurvedic Hospitals Development and Community Health Hon. , State Minister of Tanks, Reservoirs and Irrigation Development related to Rural Paddy Fields Hon. , State Minister of Foreign Employment Promotion and Market Diversification Hon. (Prof.) , State Minister of Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals Hon. , State Minister of Batik, Handloom and Local Apparel Products Hon. Jeevan Thondaman, State Minister of Estate Housing & Community Infrastructure Hon. , State Minister of Women and Child Development, Preschools & Primary Education, School Infrastructure & Education Services Hon. Mohan Priyadarshana De Silva, State Minister of Production and Supply of Fertilizer and Regulation of Chemical Fertilizer and Insecticide Use Hon. Wimalaweera Dissanayaka, State Minister of Wildlife Protection, Adoption of Safety Measures including the Construction of Electrical Fences and Trenches and Reforestation and Forest Resource Development Hon. , State Minister of Coconut, Kithul, Palmyrah and Rubber Cultivation Promotion and Related Industrial Product Manufacturing & Export Diversification Hon. (Dr.) (Mrs.) Sudarshini Fernandopulle, State Minister of Prison Reforms & Prisoners' Rehabilitation Hon. , State Minister of Education Reforms, Open Universities and Distance Learning Promotion ( 3 ) M. No. 3 Hon. , State Minister of Regional Co-operation Hon. , State Minister of Dhamma Schools, Bhikkhu Education, Piriven and Buddhist Universities Hon. , State Minister of Rattan, Brass, Pottery, Furniture and Rural Industrial Promotion Hon. , State Minister of Land Management, State Enterprises Land and Property Development Hon. , State Minister of Paddy and Grains, Organic Food, Vegetables, Fruits, Chillies, Onion and Potato Cultivation Promotion, Seed Production and Advanced Technology Agriculture Hon. , State Minister of Rural Roads and other Infrastructure Hon. , State Minister of Development of Minor Crops including Sugarcane, Maize, Cashew, Pepper, Cinnamon, Cloves, Betel Related Industries and Export Promotion Hon. Vidura Wickramanayaka, State Minister of National Heritage, Performing Arts and Rural Arts Promotion Hon. , State Minister of Ornamental Fish, Inland Fish & Prawn Farming, Fishery Harbour Development, Multi day Fishing Activities and Fish Exports Hon. Thenuka Vidanagamage, State Minister of Rural and School Sports Infrastructure Improvement Hon. S. Viyalanderan, State Minister of Postal Services and Professional Development of Journalists Hon. (Dr.) , State Minister of Provincial Councils & Local Government Hon. Shehan Semasinghe, State Minister of Samurdhi, Household Economy, Micro Finance, Self Employment, Business Development and Underutilized State Resources Development Hon. Herath, State Minister of Rural Housing and Construction & Building Material Industries Hon. , State Minister of Company Estate Reforms, Tea Estate Related Crops, Tea Factory Modernization and Tea Export Promotion Hon. D. B. Herath, State Minister of Livestock, Farm Promotion and Dairy & Egg Related Industries

Hon. Selvam Adaikkalanathan Hon. A. L. M. Athaullah Hon. Amarakeerthi Athukorala Hon. Kapila Athukorala Hon. (Mrs.) Thalatha Athukorala Hon. Sampath Athukorala ( 4 ) M. No. 3

Hon. Hon. Hon. Ashok Abeysinghe Hon. (Dr.) (Ms.) Hon. Mayadunna Chinthaka Amal Hon. Thavaraja Kalai Arasan Hon. J. C. Alawathuwala Hon. Hon. Naseer Ahamed Hon. Thisakutti Arachchi Hon. M. Udayakumar Hon. U. K. Sumith Udukumbura Hon. (Major) Pradeep Undugoda Hon. Sanjeeva Edirimanna Hon. Akila Ellawala Hon. Hon. Selvarajah Kajendren Hon. Govindan Karunakaram Hon. Gayantha Karunatilleka Hon. Hon. Faizal Cassim Hon. Hon. Hon. Udayana Kirindigoda Hon. Hon. Gevindu Cumaratunga Hon. (Mrs.) Geetha Samanmale Kumarasinghe Hon. K. P. S. Kumarasiri Hon. A. Aravindh Kumar Hon. Velu Kumar Hon. Karunadasa Kodithuwakku Hon. Nalaka Bandara Kottegoda Hon. Hon. (Mrs.) Hon. (Dr.) Upul Galappaththi Hon. Udayakantha Gunathilaka Hon. (Mrs.) Kokila Gunawardene ( 5 ) M. No. 3

Hon. Yadamini Gunawardena Hon. Milan Jayathilake Hon. Jayamaha Hon. (Dr.) Kavinda Heshan Jayawardhana Hon. Kulasingam Dhileeban Hon. Premitha Bandara Tennakoon Hon. M. S. Thowfeek Hon. Shan Vijayalal De Silva Hon. (Dr.) Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake Hon. Palani Thigambaram Hon. Anura Dissanayaka Hon. S. B. Dissanayake Hon. (Mrs.) Hon. Hon. Rohana Dissanayaka Hon. Sarathi Dushmantha Hon. (Major) Hon. Hon. Premnath C. Dolawatte Hon. W. H. M. Dharmasena Hon. H. Nandasena Hon. Gayashan Nawananda Hon. Asanka Navarathna Hon. Hon. Hon. Kins Nelson Hon. Hon. Anupa Pasqual Hon. Nimal Piyathissa Hon. Hon. Hon. Hon. Sujith Perera Hon. G. G. Ponnambalam Hon. Hon. ( 6 ) M. No. 3

Hon. Hon. (Mrs.) Muditha Prishanthi Hon. , Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Hon. Uddika Premarathne Hon. R. M. Hon. (Prof.) Hon. Hon. Shantha Bandara Hon. Hon. Sudath Manjula Hon. S. M. Marikkar Hon. K. Kader Masthan Hon. Imran Maharoof Hon. Hon. S. M. M. Muszhaaraff Hon. Mohomad Muzammil Hon. Anura Priyadharshana Yapa Hon. Wasantha Yapabandara Hon. Patali Hon. Nipuna Ranawaka Hon. B. Y. G. Rathnasekara Hon. Kumarasiri Rathnayaka Hon. Ali Sabri Raheem Hon. Hon. Mujibur Rahuman Hon. (Dr.) Hon. Hon. Hon. Hon. Upul Mahendra Rajapaksha Hon. (Dr.) Hon. (Dr.) V. Radhakrishnan Hon. Hon. M. Rameshwaran Hon. Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam Hon. Waruna Liyanage Hon. Gamini Waleboda ( 7 ) M. No. 3

Hon. Hon. (Mrs.) Rajika Wickramasinghe Hon. C. V. Wigneswaran Hon. (Mrs.) Hon. Hon. M. W. D. Sahan Pradeep Withana Hon. Madhura Withanage Hon. Hesha Withanage Hon. (Prof.) Tissa Vitarana Hon. Hon. , PC Hon. D. Weerasingha Hon. Weerasumana Weerasinghe Hon. Hon. Hon. Hon. Maithreepala Sirisena Hon. Hon. (Dr.) Rajitha Senarathne Hon. Rauff Hakeem Hon. Abdul Haleem Hon. H. M. M. Harees Hon. (Prof.) Hon. Hon. Hon. Samanpriya Herath Hon. Marjan Faleel Hon. Field Marshal

Mr. Dhammika Dasanayake, Secretary-General of Parliament Mr. Neil Iddawala, Chief of Staff and Deputy Secretary-General of Parliament Mrs. Kushani Rohanadeera, Assistant Secretary-General

Mr. Tikiri K. Jayathilake, Assistant Secretary-General

( 8 ) M. No. 3 Parliament met pursuant to adjournment. The Speaker took the Chair.

1. Presentation of Papers : (1) The Speaker presented the─

(i) Third Instalment – Part XVI of the Report of the Auditor–General for the Financial Year 2014; (ii) Second Instalment – Part XXXI of the Report of the Auditor–General for the Financial Year 2015; (iii) Ninth Instalment – Parts XVII and XVIII of the Report of the Auditor– General for the Financial Year 2016; (iv) Second Instalment – Part XXVI and Ninth Instalment – Parts XVI, XVII and XVIII of the Report of the Auditor–General for the Financial Year 2017; (v) Second Instalment – Parts XXV, XXVI, XXVII and XXVIII, Third Instalment – Parts XIII and XIV and Ninth Instalment – Parts XIII, XIV, XV, XVI and XVII of the Report of the Auditor–General for the Financial Year 2018; and (vi) Second Instalment – Part I of the Report of the Auditor–General for the Financial Year 2019 in terms of Article 154(6) of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of . Ordered that the said Reports do lie upon the Table and to be printed.

(2) The Speaker presented the Tenth instalment – Special Audit Reports – Parts VII and XI of the Reports of the Auditor–General, in terms of Article 154(6) of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. Ordered that the said Reports do lie upon the Table and to be printed.

2. Business of the Parliament : The Leader of the House of Parliament moved,— That the proceedings on Item Nos. 1 and 2 of Public Business appearing on the Order Paper be exempted at this day’s Sitting from the provisions of Standing Orders 27 and 121(2) of the Parliament. Question put, and agreed to.

3. Committee on Parliamentary Business : The Leader of the House of Parliament moved,— That notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order 115 of the Parliament, the Committee on Parliamentary Business shall consist of the Speaker as the Chair, the Deputy Speaker, the Deputy Chairperson of Committees, the Leader of the House of Parliament, the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, the Chief Government Whip, the Chief Opposition Whip and nineteen (19) other Members to be nominated by the Committee of Selection to serve in the First Session of the Ninth Parliament. Question put, and agreed to.

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4. Committee on Public Accounts : The Leader of the House of Parliament moved,— That notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order 119 of the Parliament, the Committee on Public Accounts shall consist of twenty two (22) Members to be nominated by the Committee of Selection to serve in the First Session of the Ninth Parliament.

Question put, and agreed to. 5. Committee on Public Enterprises : The Leader of the House of Parliament moved,—That notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order 120 of the Parliament, the Committee on Public Enterprises shall consist of twenty two (22) Members to be nominated by the Committee of Selection to serve in the First Session of the Ninth Parliament. Question put, and agreed to. With the leave of the House, the following announcement was made by the Speaker:— Committee on Parliamentary Business : “ I wish to inform you that, in terms of the provisions of the Standing Order 115 of the Parliament and the motion agreed to by Parliament this day, the following Members have been nominated with the Speaker as the Chair, the Deputy Speaker, the Deputy Chairperson of Committees, the Leader of the House of Parliament, the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, the Chief Government Whip and the Chief Opposition Whip, by the Committee of Selection, to serve in the Committee on Parliamentary Business. Hon. Chamal Rajapaksa Hon. Nimal Siripala de Silva Hon. (Prof.) G. L. Peiris Hon. Hon. Dullas Alahapperuma Hon. Wimal Weerawansa Hon. Mahinda Amaraweera Hon. Vasudeva Nanayakkara Hon. Prasanna Ranatunga Hon. Mahinda Samarasinghe Hon. Gayantha Karunatilleka Hon. Rauff Hakeem Hon. Anura Dissanayaka Hon. Dilan Perera Hon. Rishad Bathiudeen Hon. R. M. Ranjith Madduma Bandara Hon. Mano Ganesan Hon. M. A. Sumanthiran Hon. Ali Sabri Raheem” ( 10 ) M. No. 3 6. Resolution under the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka : The Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious & Cultural Affairs and Minister of Urban Development & Housing moved,— In terms of paragraph (2) of Article 150 of the Constitution, that Parliament resolves that during the period commencing on September 1, 2020 and ending on the day immediately preceding the date of commencement of the Appropriation Act providing for the services of the financial year 2020 or ending on December 31, 2020 whichever date occurs first—

(a) sums not exceeding rupees nine hundred forty nine billion seven hundred sixty three million four hundred sixteen thousand (Rs. 949,763,416,000) shall be payable out of the Consolidated Fund of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka for the services specified in the First Schedule to this Resolution, (being services in respect of which provision for expenditure was made by the Appropriation Act, No. 6 of 2019 and by Supplementary Estimates) and that the said sums may be expended during the aforesaid period, in the manner specified in such Schedule; and

(b) sums not exceeding rupees seven hundred ninety five billion nine hundred twenty four million eight hundred thirty seven thousand (Rs. 795,924,837,000) shall be payable out of the Consolidated Fund of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka for the services specified in the Second Schedule to this Resolution (for expenditure pertaining to providing for the services authorized by laws to be charged to the Consolidated Fund) and that the said sums may be expended during the aforesaid period, in the manner specified in such Schedule; and

(c) sums not exceeding rupees two billion (Rs. 2,000,000,000) in the aggregate, shall be payable by way of advances out of the Consolidated Fund of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka for the services specified in Column I of the Third Schedule to this Resolution and that the debits incurred in respect of any such services during the aforesaid period, shall not exceed the maximum limits as specified in the corresponding entry in Column II of that Schedule; and

(d) sums not exceeding rupees one thousand three hundred billion (Rs. 1,300,000,000,000) shall be proceeds as loans to be raised in terms of relevant laws whether in or outside Sri Lanka, for and on behalf of the Government, in respect of which provision for expenditure for providing such services mentioned in the schedules to this Resolution and the details of such loans shall be incorporated in the Final Budget Position Report which is required to be tabled in Parliament under Section 13 of the Fiscal Management (Responsibility) Act, No. 3 of 2003.

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Question proposed and debated.

(At 10.38 a.m. the Deputy Speaker took the Chair.) (At 1.09 p.m. the Deputy Chairperson of Committees took the Chair.) (At 2.59 p.m. the Deputy Speaker took the Chair.) (At 4.30 p.m. the Deputy Chairperson of Committees took the Chair.)

7. Resolution under the Local Treasury Bills Ordinance : The Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious & Cultural Affairs and Minister of Urban Development & Housing moved,— That this Parliament resolves that a sum not exceeding Rupees Seven Hundred and Fifty Billion (Rs. 750,000,000,000) may, in addition to sums authorized by the Resolutions in that behalf, be borrowed by the issue in Sri Lanka, of Sri Lanka Government Treasury Bills and that, for such purpose, the Minister of Finance be granted all requisite authority under Section 2(1) of the Local Treasury Bills Ordinance (Chapter 417).

Question proposed and debated. And it being 6.30 p.m. the debate stood adjourned. Debate to be resumed on Friday, August 28, 2020.

8. Adjournment : The Leader of the House of Parliament moved,— That this Parliament do now adjourn. Question put, and agreed to; the Parliament was at 6.30 p.m. adjourned until 9.30 a.m. on Friday, August 28, 2020.

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Description under following Serial numbers of the Third Schedule of the Resolution *1 of the Tamil text of the Order Paper of Parliament dated 27th August 2020 be corrected as per Sinhala and English text as follows:—

Be substituted the heading of the Third Schedule “2020 ெசப்ெதம்பர் தல் 2020 சம்பர் வைரயான காலப்பகுதிக்கான அரசாங்க அவலர் ற்பணக் கணக்குகளின்” வைரயைற for “2020 ெசப்ெதம்பர் 01 தல் 2020 சம்பர் 31 வைரயான காலப்பகுதிக்கான அரசாங்க அவலர் ற்பணக் கணக்குகளின் வைரயைற”

Serial No 13 Be substituted “பாராமன்ற தல்வாின் அவலகம்” for “பாராமன்ற சைப தல்வாின் அவலகம்”

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Serial No 73 Be substituted “வனசீவராசிகள் பாகாப், யாைன ேவ மற்ம் அகழிகைள நிர்மாணித்தல் உள்ளிட்ட பாகாப் நடவக்ைககள் இராஜாங்க அைமச்சர்” for “வனசீவராசிகள் பாகாப், யாைன ேவ மற்ம் அகழிகைள நிர்மாணித்தல் உள்ளிட்ட பாகாப் நடவக்ைககள் மீள்காடாக்கல் மற்ம் வனசீவராசிகள் வளங்கள் இராஜாங்க அைமச்சர்”

Serial No 96 Be substituted “ெதால்ெபாளியல் திைணக்களம்” for “ வளிமண்டலவியல்

திைணக்களம்”

Serial No 126 Be Substituted “Serial No 128” for “Serial No 126” which comes after which comes Serial No 127 after Serial No 127

Serial No 174 Be substituted “கமத்ெதாழில் அபிவித்தி திைணக்களம்” for “நீர்ப்பாசன

அபிவித்தித் திைணக்களம்”

Serial No 188 Be substituted “ேதசிய மீகக்காட்சிசாைலகள் திைணக்களம்” for “ேதசிய தாவர ங்காக்கள் திைணக்களம்”

Be substituted “රජෙ ලධාට අකාර” for “Advances to Public Officers”, specified under Government Activities of Column I of Serial No. 82 of the Sinhala text of the Third Schedule of the said resolution. Amend accordingly.” Question proposed and debated. (At 10.38 a.m. the Deputy Speaker took the Chair.) (At 1.09 p.m. the Deputy Chairperson of Committees took the Chair.) (At 2.59 p.m. the Deputy Speaker took the Chair.) (At 4.30 p.m. the Deputy Chairperson of Committees took the Chair.)

And it being 6.30 p.m. the debate stood adjourned; debate to be resumed on Friday, August 28, 2020.

7. Resolution under the Local Treasury Bills Ordinance : The Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious & Cultural Affairs and Minister of Urban Development & Housing moved,— That this Parliament determines that a sum not exceeding Rupees Seven Hundred and Fifty Billion (Rs. 750,000,000,000) may, in addition to sums authorized by the Resolutions in that behalf, be borrowed by the issue in Sri Lanka, of Sri Lanka Government Treasury Bills and that, for such purpose, the Minister of Finance be granted all requisite authority under Section 2(1) of the Local Treasury Bills Ordinance (Chapter 417). Question proposed and debated. And it being 6.30 p.m. the debate stood adjourned; debate to be resumed on Friday, August 28, 2020. ( 39 ) M. No. 3 8. Adjournment : The Leader of the House of Parliament moved,— That this Parliament do now adjourn.

Question put, and agreed to; the Parliament was at 6.30 p.m. adjourned until 9.30 a.m. on Friday, August 28, 2020 pursuant to the Resolution of Parliament on 21st August 2020.