No Ministers to answer questions in Parliament

All 15 questions listed in Parliament's Order Paper during the question session went unanswered today (5) owing to the absence of the relevant Ministers. 

By Sandun Jayawardana

All 15 questions listed in Parliament's Order Paper during the question session went unanswered today (5) owing to the absence of the relevant Ministers. 

Leader of the House Lakshman Kiriella had to seek additional time or table the responses to all except one question which was redirected to another Ministry. 

Speaking after the questions were over, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) MP Bimal Rathnayaka told Parliament that today was "a black day" for Parliament as not a single Minister was present to answer the questions listed in the order paper.

"Why are you holding Parliament today. One of these questions has been on the paper for over a year now. We may only have this Parliament for a few months. This is completely unacceptable," he stressed. 

Mr Kiriella acknowledged the Government was at fault. "Our Party Leader, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has constantly told our MPs that they must give priority to Parliament work," he said. 

Colombo District United National Party (UNP) MP S.M. Marikkar noted that MPs raised questions on behalf of their electorate.

"It is our duty to raise their questions here. It is one of the purposes for them to elect us. When we are deprived of the opportunity to get answers because of the absence of Ministers, our rights are not safeguarded. This amounts to a breach of our Parliamentary privileges," he remarked. 

Kurunegala District United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) Kurunegala District MP Dayasiri Jayasekara noted that it was the UNP MPs who were absent.  "They are all in Kurunegala. They have a dispute over their Presidential candidate. They should sort that out and come to Parliament," he quipped. 

Deputy Speaker Ananda Kumarasiri said the matter would be taken up at the Party Leaders' Meeting