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SLFP to cooperate with Govt: Chamal stays on as Speaker
Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa will continue in office for the next three months during which the new Government hopes to pass several important laws, including the Right to Information Act, a Cabinet minister said.
Newly appointed Minister and House Leader Lakshman Kiriella told the Sunday Times that as the SLFP hads pledged to cooperate with the Government for the implementation of the 100-day programme, the Speaker, who is the brother of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, could continue in office.
Parliament will meet on Tuesday for the first time since a new President, a new prime minister and a Cabinet were sworn in.
During the two scheduled days for sittings this week, Parliament is set to approve two pending Bills, namely the Prescription (Special Provisions) Bill, to enable land owners who lost their property during the 30-year conflict to reclaim their lands and the Witness and Victims Protection Bill, Mr. Kiriella said.
At the meeting Prime Minister Wickremesinghe held with the UNP ministers, state ministers and deputy ministers on Friday, it was decided that the Right to Information (RTI) legislation would be passed during the 100 days in office along with the National Medicinal Drug Policy Bill and new laws to give more powers to the Auditor General.
Amendments to the Constitution to scale down the powers of the President too will be presented to Parliament next month.
Prior to that, Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayaka will present a supplementary budget to Parliament on January 29 to reduce prices of 10 essential items.