Odds and Ends

See under profession
During the committee stage of the Budget debate on the Tourism Ministry on Tuesday in Parliament, JHU monk MP Aturaliye Ratana Thera urged Tourism Minister Anura Bandaranaike to take steps to stop foreign prostitutes operating in the country and promote Sri Lanka as a spiritual and cultural destination and not one famous for such sleazy activities.

The minister said he has already taken steps to promote Sri Lanka as spiritual destination but said he could do nothing about foreign women coming and engaging in prostitution in the country. He then turned to Deputy Speaker Geetanjana Gunawardena who was presiding and asked if he could suggest how to identify women of ill fame and detect them when they enter the country.
“You can check the declaration form and see what they have written under ‘profession’,” he suggested.

Snail mail
Chief Government Whip Jeyaraj Fernandopulle said a petition sent to him in July by post to be presented to the Petitions Committee in Parliament had reached him only in September this year and was wondering what had caused such delay. It’s not called ‘snail mail’ for no reason, he should know.

Duty free for them also
UNP Gampaha district MP Sarathchandra Rajakaruna had a few suggestions when the vote on the Indigenous Medicine Ministry was taken up for debate on Friday.

The MP said if the Government is seriously interested in promoting and improving the indigenous system of medical treatment, it must afford the facilities to those practising the trade in the same manner doctors practising western medicine are supported.
His suggestion was that they too be given duty free facilities to import a vehicle like other doctors.