• We also request the government to postpone the debate on the 20th Amendment till the pandemic situation is controlled

By Yohan Perera  

Expressing fear that Parliament could be the place from where the next COVID-19 cluster would emerge, the main opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) yesterday said all MPs should be subjected to PCR tests before the debate on the proposed 20th Amendment takes place.   

SJB General Secretary Ranjith Badduma Bandara told a press conference that all MPS should be subjected to PCR tests given the current situation in Sri Lanka with regard to the pandemic. “MPs go out to villages and meet their electors and are exposed to the risk of getting infected with COVID-19. They carry the risk of infecting others when they come to Parliament. The House could be the place where the next cluster of COVID-19 would emerge after Thursday. Therefore we request that all MPs are subjected to COVID-19 before the debate on the 20th Amendment takes place,” Mr. Madduma Bandara said.  

“We also request the government to postpone the debate on the 20th Amendment till the pandemic situation is controlled,” he added.  

Mr. Madduma Bandara said legal action could be filed against the Speaker as per the recently gazetted Quarantine law if even one MP is found COVID-19 positive after Thursday.  

MP Harin Fernando who also participated in the press conference said his party hopes that those government MPs who had opposed the 20th Amendment will vote against it and will not change their minds at the committee stage.  
He said UNP should prove its genuineness by appointing a member to fill its national list slot and getting him to vote against the 20th Amendment. 

• Mr. Madduma Bandara said legal action could be filed against the Speaker  as per the recently gazetted Quarantine law if even one MP is found  COVID-19 positive after Thursday