SJB members walks out of Parliament in protest over Govt decision

Members of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya today walked out of Parliament as the Government turned down a request for an opportunity to discuss the current situation arising following floods and landslides which have left over 355 dead and 366 missing.

SJB MP Kabir Hashim said the opposition wanted time to fully discuss the situation as they had serious concerns about how the government handled the situation, despite having early warnings as early as November 12.

He said that the relevant authorities should have gradually released the water in the reservoirs anticipating a very high rainfall as predicted. “Instead what the authorities did was they released a high volume of water after the rains started therby affecting those living in areas downstream’, he added

Earlier in the day Speaker Jagath Wickremaratne adjourned Parliament for 30 minutes to discuss the Parliament’s schedule in view of the prevailing situation.

Though the Opposition wanted at least a full day’s discussion on the current situation, the government decided that the sittings should end at 12.30 p.m. and reconvene on December 3.

Leader of the House Bimal Ratnayake told Parliament that the members were required to go out to oversee relief operations.

However, MP Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam said ‘It is not the duty of the MPs to be going out and digging ditches. It is our duty to discuss policies'.

Opposition Chief Whip Gayantha Karunatillake said there was no point in their party members remaining in Parliament if sufficient time was not given to discuss the current situation affecting the entire country.