Ekanayake Ranil Helped Hotelier at Expense of Country

Wednesday 22nd October, 2008 3 No laws enacted Thoroughfare Bill to develop road for noise pollution - Ranawaka network – Ekanayake Replying an adjournment time Minister of Highways T. B. tion were largely ignored by them and motion moved by Ekanayake presenting the National only after independence that the needs of Gampaha District Thoroughfare Bill in Parliament yesterday the indigenous population came to be con- member Edward (21), said the Bill was being presented to Ranil helped hotelier at sidered. The present Bill seeks to move a Gunasekara, in formulate and implement a national policy step ahead of the present state of road Parliament, on the ban on the highways and the roads network in development with the participation of the of using public address Edward the country.The Thoroughfares Ordinance Provincial Councils, local government systems/loudspeakers enacted by the British in the previous cen- expense of country – Ekanayake bodies and local officials represented in from 10.00 p.m. to 6.00 a.m. that had tury, had been amended 39 times in differ- the decision making process that would affected the artistes who performed in ent periods, but in the context of today’s Highways Minister during A. H. M. not be confined to Colombo musical entertainment shows and reli- developments and needs of the people, the T. B. Ekanayake yester- Fowzie’s tenure as as before. gious events held at night, Minister of new Bill seeks to develop the road network day said that the newly Highways Minister. Edward Gunasekara Environment and Natural with the participation of the public and built bridge at Bentota Fowzie had laid the (UNP) Gamapha District Resources Patali Champika private sector as well as assistance from would have had four foundation stone for a said though the SLFP-led Ranawaka said the ruling of the foreign sources. lanes if the then Prime four-lane bridge but the PA and UPFA governments Supreme Court had referred to the for- He said the provisions of the Bill Minister Ranil collapse of the had been in power for the mulation of new regulations for noise included provision to assist the Provincial Wickremesinghe hadn’t Chandrika last 14 years, the pollution. Ekanayake Ranil Councils and local authorities in the con- changed the plan to save Kumaratunga govern- Katunayake - Colombo, Piyasiri He said there were no laws enacted struction and development of roads in a tourist hotel owned by one of his ment in late 2001 and return of the Matara-Colombo or the for noise pollution but after the ruling their areas of authority. The country did buddies. UNP caused a change of plans, he Kandy - Colombo expressways could not of the Supreme Court not have a national policy on roads and Ekanayake accused said. be completed. Even at this stage these the ministry had invited highways, but it was only after President Wickremesinghe of helping a friend at The UNP had laid a second founda- should be completed without any more the views of all parties Rajapaksa, then a minister, became the the expense of an important govern- tion stone and changed the original delay. concerned including Minister of Highways that an attempt to ment project. plan for the tourist hotel belonging to Piyasiri Wijenayake (NFF) religious bodies, draw up a national policy was started and He said the project was launched Wickremesinghe’s friend, he said. Kalutara District said road construc- artistes and others who as President and Minister of Finance, he tion though very essential, suffered the were affected by the rul- had allocated a considerable amount for interference of politicians. In certain ing. Although some roads in the Budget 2009. Therefore, the of building the roads in the provinces and cial council ministers, district secretary areas the roads that run through towns artistes had met him Champika cooperation of all parties was sought to in fact the government did not appear to be and local government bodies becoming were built with limited they had not made any enact the new law that would help the interested in devolution members of the commit- width to save the buildings proposals for consideration in framing country to develop a modern road net- of power. It was harp- tee so that the provincial of some persons who were regulations. All members of work. ing on destroying ter- councils and local gov- close to local politicians, Parliament too were invited to join in a Chief Opposition rorism, but its inten- ernment bodies are but the road outside the discussion on the subject but except Whip Joseph Michael tion appeared to be directly involved in the town was wider. There for three members there was no Perera said he saw in the keeping power with the development of all dis- were also some roads response or proposals from others. Bill an attempt to privatize centre. Therefore this trict networks. It clearly widened but at certain However, a committee chaired by the road network and even Bill too appeared to be showed the government places they remain nar- the Prime Minister had been appoint- charge tolls from some another step in the On Tuesday was not taking over the row as the supporter or the Speaker ed by the government to consider expressways. Though he direction of denying by Wijitha Nakkawita and powers of the PCs and secretary of a minister lives in an adjoin- measures to be adopted in keeping had no objections to a toll power to the provinces Lakshmi de Silva local bodies, but was ing house and his wall could not be with the national and religious tradi- being charged, he felt that so that even the ethnic involving all local bodies brought down to widen the road. tions and the needs of the parties Joseph the powers of the Provincial problem would not be addressed by it. and officials in the development of the The Bill was passed without a divi- affected by the ruling and parliamen- Councils and the local government bodies Minister of Nation Building S. M. road network. sion, but TNA’s Suresh Premachandran tarians and all those who were con- were to be taken over by the government in Chandrasena said the Bill did not take Minister M. Abdul Majeed said the called for a division on the Bill. cerned in the matter could make their contravention of the principle of devolu- away power from the PCs or the local gov- British Ordinance sought only to look Speaker W. J. M. Lokubandara: It is views known to the committee so that tion of power. ernment bodies, but under clause 8 of the after the interests of the British planters too late now to call for a division. The Bill proposals to enact laws on noise pollu- Suresh Premachandran (TNA) said Bill, it was clearly stated that a district so that the produce of the plantations has been passed by the House. You should tion could be considered and an accept- the government was trying to take back the coordinating committee for road network could be brought to Colombo for shipping. have called for a division before the Bill able solution found for the problem the powers devolved to the Provincial Councils in each district with the minister, provin- But the needs of the indigenous popula- was passed. minister said. India did not influence govt. to stop war - Bogollagama Making special statements in protests in Tamil Nadu had influenced Minister to explain action taken by the situation with the Indian Prime Parliament yesterday, NFF New Delhi to intervene in Sri Lanka’s government to meet the Indian threat. Minister. He had explained the ground Parliamentary Group Leader on going war. Sri Lanka High He asked whether India was interfer- situation and action taken by his gov- Wimal Weerawansa and JVP mem- Commissioner in New Delhi, Romesh ing with Sri Lanka’s political inde- ernment to provide relief to internally ber Vijitha Herath asked Foreign Jayasinghe had been summoned by the pendence. displaced persons, the Minister said. Minister Rohitha Bogollagama Indian Defence Advisor and Foreign Bogollagama said the Government He said that Sri Lanka enjoyed very whether India had exerted pressure on Minister. It was evident India was try- of India had not asked the government close relations with India and there the government to stop the military ing to throw a lifeline to the LTTE. of Sri Lanka to stop military opera- was no truth in reports that the Indian offensive against the LTTE. In his statement JVP member tions against the LTTE. President leader had tried to influence the gov- Weerawansa said that ongoing Vijitha Herath asked the Foreign Bogollagama Vijitha Wimal Mahinda Rajapaksa had discussed the ernment to stop the war on terrorism. EU nor India has called for end to operations against LTTE – Ranil But have expressed concern about human rights violations by Zacki Jabbar false and aimed at rousing the people he had pointed out. Opposition leader Ranil against the government. The sources, said that recommenda- Wickremesinghe said yesterday that nei- Senior UNP MP John Ameratunga tions by the Senior Parliamentarians ther the European Union nor India, had called on the Working Committee to take Committee to recreate the post of Deputy called for a halt to military operations disciplinary action against Jayalath Leader and appoint an Assistant Leader against the LTTE, but have expressed Jayawardena MP, for allegedly meeting was approved by the Working concern about human rights violations LTTE members in the company of a TNA Committee. The decision will be submit- and the devastation caused. member in Switzerland recently. “We are ted for ratification by the party’s annual Informed sources said that told that Dr.

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