Parliament to convene for two days next week

Ten-hour debate on Port City Economic Commission Bill

The Committee on Parliamentary Business, chaired by Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, yesterday, decided to limit next week’s Parliament sittings to two days (4th and 5th May).

The debate on the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill will take place on the 5 May from 10.00 am to 8.00 pm without adjournment for lunch, said the Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake.

Dasanayake also said that an adjournment debate on the current COVID-19 situation in the country will be held on 4th May from 11.00 am to 5.30 pm.

The Secretary General said that there would be no time for oral questions on both sitting days.

The party leaders agreed to pass an order under the Sri Lanka Export Development Act, four notifications under the Excise Ordinance, the Value Added Tax (VAT) (Amendment) Bill and the Inland Revenue (Amendment) Bill on 4th May after debating them from 10.00 am to 11.00 am.

Thereafter, the adjournment debate on the current situation in the country will be held from 11.00 am to 5.30 pm without adjournment for lunch.

Leader of the House and Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, Chief Government Whip and Minister of Highways Johnston Fernando, Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella, Cabinet Ministers Nimal Siripala de Silva and Prof. GL Peiris, Dallas Alahapperuma, Vasudeva Nanayakkara and Prasanna Ranatunga, MPs Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Gayantha Karunatilake, Dilan Perera and Mano Ganesan were present at the meeting.