Special committee for oil exploration

The Petroleum Resources Development Ministry has decided to appoint a Special Committee represented by all political parties in Parliament to supervise oil exploration activities in Sri Lanka.

Leader of the House Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva yesterday told Parliament a decision was taken at the Party Leader’s meeting held on February 6 to inform all political parties to nominate their representatives to this committee.

The Minister was responding to a question raised by JVP Parliamentarian Wimal Weerawansa regarding an assurance given by Petroleum Resources Development Minister A.H.M. Fowzie at the Budget debate to appoint a committee to supervise oil exploration.

Weerawansa said, however, the Minister has not yet taken steps to appoint this Committee.

Minister Fowzie agreed in this House to suspend the calling for tenders and appoint a Committee represented by all political parties to supervise oil exploration before these tenders are called.

Read more,
http://www.dailynews.lk/2008/02/08/news01.asp

Muslim congress is now with the opposition

Leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress Rauf Hakeem and another three SLMC MPs resigned from their ministerial portfolios and crossed over to the opposition benches in parliament today.

The three MPs were Hassan Ali, Bazeer Segudawood and Faizer Cassim. Meanwhile, the government says it still has the support of a majority of SLMC MPs.

Ten members of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress were elected to parliament at the last general elections held on April 2004, and of them only four MPs remained with the SLMC and those four MPs including its leader Rauff Hakeem crossed over to opposition today.

Read more,
http://www.asiantribune.com/index.php?q=node/8693

Govt does not approve attack on undergrads - Jeyaraj

Chief Government Whip Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle yesterday told Parliament that the Government does not approve the assault on university students who participated in a demonstration in Colombo on Monday.

The Minister responding to a statement by JVP MP Wimal Weerawansa said: "As Ministers we will never approve this incident which had taken place on International Human Rights Day. This is a move taken by police."

Following a request by the Minister, the JVP agreed to conduct a discussion on the Sabaragamuwa University issue at the Parliament complex last afternoon. Weerawansa making a special statement in Parliament said when International Human Rights Day was celebrated on December 10, police assaulted and arrested 10 university students participating in a demonstration in Colombo the same day.

The students had conducted this demonstration regarding a crisis in the Sabaragamuwa University.

Read more,
http://www.dailynews.lk/2007/12/12/pol01.asp

Speaker of Sri Lanka parliament decides to take the votes for four controversial bills again

The Speaker W.J.M. Lokubandara today announced at the Sri Lanka parliament that four of the five tax bills that were declared passed on September 06 amid chaos should be put forward to the committee stage again in the House.

Stating that a bill would not pass merely since he stated that it was passed, the Speaker said only the No: 256-draft bill was passed in the House at the committee stage and the remaining four bills should be re-submitted for the committee stage.

The Speaker said that he took the decision after considering the facts furnished by the government and opposition MPs.

Extracted from,
http://www.colombopage.com/archive_07/September21142009SL.html

Sri Lankan Minister passed away

M.I. Anver Ismail, the non-cabinet Sri Lanka Minister of Irrigation passed away today early morning at a Colombo private hospital.

The 40 year old Minister was being treated for a stomach disease. His body was taken to his home town, Samanthurai and was buried there according to Muslim customs.

The Minister first entered into the parliament as a Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (Athavulla Faction ) MP in 2001. He was appointed as a Minister in 2004.

News extracted from,
http://www.colombopage.com/archive_07/September14125127SL.html
Photo,
http://www.parliament.lk/directory_of_members/images_members/060.jpg