‘Opposition responsible for issues taken up’

by Uditha Kumarasinghe

Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkody said the Opposition has every right to engage in politics, but they must be held responsible for what they take up, especially issues that concern the country.

Asked about the UNP’s claim that the Government has deliberately ignored to take up its No-confidence motion against it during the next sittings from March 18 to 21, the Deputy Speaker said the Opposition can take it up at the Party Leader’s meeting and get it listed.

“There is no way for Parliament to delay it. What I don’t understand is whether there is a hidden agenda to bring disrepute to the country at a crucial time like this,” the Deputy Speaker told the Sunday Observer yesterday.

As the Deputy Speaker, I am not in a position to comment as to why the Opposition is in such a hurry as to take up this No-confidence motion when the Government has already agreed to fix a date in early April to debate it. It is up to the people to understand as to why the main Opposition UNP is acting in this manner at a time like this.

Leader of the House and Irrigation and Water Resources Management Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva had told the Party Leaders’ meeting that if the Opposition is in a hurry to take up this motion, a special sitting could be fixed in early April for the purpose.

The Minister had told the committee that since some Government Ministers would be out of the country for the Geneva sessions and most Members of Parliament are engaged in the Provincial Council Election campaign, a debate could be fixed in April and only one day could be set apart for the purpose.