Three Orders passed in House

Amidst various remarks and protests by the Opposition, three orders presented by Investment Promotion Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena under the Strategic Development Projects Act were passed in Parliament on Thursday and Friday with an overwhelming majority.

The first order was presented to Parliament on Thursday to provide tax concessions for an Integrated Super Luxury Tourist Resort project at D.R. Wijewardene Mawatha, Colombo by Queensbury Leisure Ltd. The second order to set up Waterfront Properties Private Limited and third order for the Lake Leisure Holdings Pvt Ltd were presented in Parliament on Friday.

The marked absence of both the Government and the Opposition members was witnessed at the vote which was taken by name as requested by the Chief Opposition Whip John Amaratunga. The first order which received 113 votes in favour and 42 votes against was passed with a majority of 71 votes in Parliament on Thursday. The UNP, DNA and TNA voted against the order. JHU Parliamentarian Ven. Aturaliye Rathana Thera voted against the order. Sixty-eight members representing both Government and Opposition skipped the vote for the first order.

The absence of both Government and Opposition members was again observed at the Friday's voting for the second and third orders as well. At the voting for the second and third regulations, 69 and 72 Government and Opposition members respectively had skipped.

JHU Parliamentarians Minister Champika Ranawaka and Ven. Aturaliye Rathana Thera, also voted against both regulations. Other UPFA coalition partners those of SLMC, NFF and People's Congress were also absent at the time of voting.

When the vote was called for the second order 12 Ministers and 7 Deputy Ministers were not in the Chamber. At the third voting , the number of absent Government Ministers rose to 14 and the number of absent Deputy Ministers remained unchanged. The absence of Government Ministers such as Wimal Weerawansa, Rajitha Senaratne, Dilan Perera, Navin Dissanayake, Gamini Lokuge, Mahinda Amaraweera, Sumedha Jayasena, Rauff Hakeem, Rishad Bathiudeen and A.L.M. Athaulla was marked. The second order was ratified with a majority of 68 votes, 112 in favour and 44 against. The third order which received 109 votes in favour and 44 against was passed with a majority of 65 votes.

When these three orders under the Strategic Development Project Act were presented in Parliament by Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena on Thursday, Chief Opposition Whip John Amaratunga said that the Opposition had submitted some amendments and that they hope the Government would incorporate those amendments into the orders. The Government members opposing to the proposal by the Opposition said that amendments cannot be introduced to an order.

This led both Government and Opposition members to raise Points of Order to maintain their positions. After listening to the views expressed by both sides, Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa gave a ruling that the amendments proposed by the UNP and JVP to the order under the Strategic Development Projects Act cannot be permitted. The Speaker told the House that the regulations had been gazetted and it could have been challenged in a court of law within 30 days of the Gazette notification. He said when it comes to Parliament, it is up to the MPs to decide whether they would pass or reject it, but they cannot introduce amendments to a regulation. Later MP John Amaratunga said the opposition would vote against these orders.

After Speaker gave his ruling, Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena who opened the debate on behalf of the Government said these orders don't provide for setting up casinos as claimed by the Opposition. Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa said he would categorically deny any hidden agenda to legalise casinos under these orders.

UNP MP Dr. Harsha De Silva and other Opposition MPs who joined the debate said the Government was hoodwinking the people by hiding its real agenda. During the two-day debate, the three orders came under fire from the Opposition calling it an open licence to operate casinos in the country. However, the Government Ministers who countered those allegations alleging that they were attempting to mislead the public and sabotage the Government's development drive. Some of the Government members in their speeches alleged that the UNP was instrumental in bringing casinos and jackpot to Sri Lanka in 1988. Ports and Highways Projects Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena said the UNP should go before Maha Sangha and the people to apologize for introducing Gambling and Betting Act in 1988.

The recent attack on five UNP MPs who went on a fact-finding mission to the Mattala Airport and the Hambantota Port was highlighted on following a statement made by Chief Opposition Whip John Amaratunga who demanded to know whether the Government would appoint a special Parliamentary Select Committee to investigate this attack. Amaratunga said "the Government boasts that the people are now free to travel anywhere in the country. It appears that the people's representatives are not even free to visit public-funded project sites anywhere in the country". He said these incidents emphasized the need for the Government to conduct an independent and credible investigation on the breakdown of law and order and take those responsible to task.

We are reluctantly compelled to take up this matter at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and the United Nations Human Rights Council. The MP queried as to whether the Government would appoint a Parliamentary Select Committee to inquire and report on these incidents. Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne who responded to the MP's statement said that a comprehensive investigation would be conducted by the police to ascertain if there had been police inaction during the incident. The Premier said a complaint had been lodged by the two UNP MPs Ajith P Perera and Eran Wickremaratne at the Police Headquarters. The police would inform Parliament of the progress of this investigation.

Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa said as the SLFP organiser for Tissamaharama he deeply regretted this incident. He told the House that as Opposition MPs they have the right to visit such places and it is the responsibility of the relevant authorities to ensure their security. The Speaker said that the subject Ministers and heads of institutions should be held responsible for failing to provide security for the UNP MPs who had come under attack during the visit to Mattala Airport and Hambantota Port. If the IGP submits a report on the investigations on the incident, it could be presented in Parliament, the Speaker said.

The paucity of women representation in Parliament was again brought to the attention of the House following a question raised by UNP Parliamentarian Sajith Premadasa on the number of women Ministers from the first Parliament to the seventh. The MP queried as to why more ministerial posts are not given to women parliamentarians on the Government side. Chief Government Whip and Water Supply and Drainage Minister Dinesh Gunawardena who responded to the MP said it was Sri Lanka which produced the world's first woman Prime Minister.

The Minister asked if MP Premadasa is so concerned about women representation in Parliament why the UNP had not appointed any woman representative to its Leadership Council. Minister Gunawardena told the House in lighter vein that even MP Premadasa concedes the fact that women parliamentarians in the UPFA Government could fulfil their responsibilities.