21 May 2019 10:01 am
Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) leader and MP Udaya Gammanpila said the debate date on the no-confidence motion against Industry and Commerce Minister, Rishad Bathiudeen, would be discussed today at the party leaders' meeting chaired by Speaker Karu Jayasuriya.
Addressing a press conference, he said there was no basis to the remarks made by certain individuals that the no-confidence motion was erroneous. Referring to the statement made by Leader of the House, Lakshman Kiriella, that the motion contained an error and that Speaker Karu Jayasuriya could reject it, MP Gammanpila said it was pathetic that the Leader of the House had not seen the Order Book of Parliament.
“When the motion signed by 64 opposition MPs was handed over to the Speaker last Friday, it was placed in the Order Book. We will urge the Speaker to take up the motion in parliament on an early date," Mr. Gammanpila said.
He said they would also make a request to the Speaker to take up the debate for two days as it contained 10 allegations levelled against Minister Bathiudeen.
Meanwhile, he insisted the government to withdraw the Office of Reparations Bill which virtually gave breathing space for terrorism. “According to the Office of Reparations Bill, there is legal provision to commemorate terrorists by building monuments in their remembrance.
The worse thing is that the bill, if enacted, would provide room for the police to deploy security for such commemorations,” he said. (Sheain Fernandopulle)