Prime Minister D.M.Jayaratna posed an interesting question to opposition legislators in Parliament on Thursday--would they discuss a family dispute with their neighbours, without resolving it within the walls of their home?. It was apparent that this question followed the PM’s obvious gaffe during previous month’s emergency debate about the existence of LTTE camps in South India and a belated attempt at damage control.
 “If there are problems, take it up with the government. Do not take them to the world,” the Premier urged the Opposition while opening the debate on the extension of the state of emergency.
But what the Prime Minister may not have realised is that because of an unsubstantiated claim he made from the floor of Parliament, it was relayed worldwide and the opposition did not have to do much to let it be known. On Thursday, the Prime Minister said the information had been based on media reports adding that there was no way for the Government to verify the information about the happenings in another country. “We do not have telepathic power to see what is happening in other countries so we get our information from other sources,” he said. But even then the Prime Minister should have verified the facts from Sri Lanka diplomatic missions in India before making such a public claim.
UNP Kandy district MP Lakshman Kiriella who spoke after the Premier, denied the UNP had spread information that was harmful to the country. “What the government has to do is ensure that the laws of the country are implemented properly and the judiciary allowed to function independently. Unfortunately all governments have only weakened the law enforcement institutions in the country,” he said.
While the government had no problem securing a majority to get the emergency extended for a month, it was opposed by the UNP, the TNA and the DNA, all of them maintaining that there was no necessity for emergency regulations in the country now.
The Government however failed to push through two bills that would change the system of electing members to local authorities as well as redraw the boundaries of existing bodies. The Local Authorities Elections (Amendment) Bill and the Local Authorities (Special Provisions) Bill were passed at the second reading but were adjourned at the committee stage pending further discussions on some amendments, proposed by the Government.
The opposition sought more time as the amendments had not been given to them on time.
Parliament also took time to congratulate the Sri Lanka cricket team for securing a place in the final. The accolades came from both government and opposition members.
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