Parliament games:

President Ranil Wickremesinghe recently said in Parliament that sports events organised by Parliament helped improve relations among members against the backdrop of heated exchanges in the chamber.

The President said so when he visited the Billiards Hall of the Parliament to distribute awards to the winners at the annual parliamentary sports meet.

The President attended the event on the invitation of Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena. The finals of the snooker competition were held in the presence of President Wickremesinghe, soon after Parliament passed Budget 2024.

Galle District SLPP MP Sampath Atukorale beat State Minister Premalal Jayasekera (Ratnapura District SLPP MP) to take the snooker contest.

MP W. M. M. Dharmasena (Moneragala District SJB) won checkers, beating SLPP’s Nimal Lanza, while SJB’s Ratnapura District MP Varuna Liyanage won the table tennis competition. SLPP’s Hambantota district MP State Minister D. V. Chanaka emerged the runner-up.

Chess competition was won by SLPP MP Dr. Gayeshan Nawananda of New Democratic Front beating SLPP’s Nimal Lanza. MP Nawanadana also won the carom contest beating lawmaker Jayasekera.The pool contest was won by SLPP MP Duminda Dissanayake of the SLFP, having defeated MP Sampath Atukorale.