Dayasiri requests to expedite checking of MPs' vehicles entering Parliament

Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekara today (May 21) requested the Speaker to take measures to device a method to expedite checking of vehicles belonging to MPs that are entering Parliament. 

By Sandun Jayawardana

Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekara today (May 21) requested the Speaker to take measures to device a method to expedite checking of vehicles belonging to MPs that are entering Parliament. 

The MP made the request after he turned up late to ask a question he had been listed to ask from Minister Rishad Bathiudeen. The delay meant that Minister Bathiudeen had to table the answer he had instead of responding to the MP and prevented Mr Jayasekara from asking the followup questions he was due. 

Mr Jayasekara strongly urged the Speaker to allow Minister Bathiudeen to answer the question and for him to be allowed to ask followup questions. However, Speaker Karu Jayasuriya turned down the request, noting that he could not break Parliamentary tradition. 

"The reason I was delayed is that all vehicles entering Parliament are currently being checked at one gate. Both vehicles belonging to MPs and everyone else have to wait in a single queue to be checked. This was why I could not make it to the Chamber in time. I'm not asking you to give us preferential treatment. I ask that you take this into consideration and device a method whereby those of us who need to be in the Chambers to ask questions are checked quickly," Mr Jayasekara told the Speaker. 

The Speaker said he would direct his attention to the matter.