Legal Aid Commission

Children’s Day around the world

“We were all children once. And we all share the desire for the well-being of our children, which has always been and will continue to be the most universally cherished aspiration of humankind.” (Report of the Secretary-General - 2001)

Children’s Day was first celebrated globally in October 1953, sponsored by the International Union for Child Welfare in Regardless of the nature and the category of your business, an employer of even one employee is legally bound to pay contributions to the Fund.

Within 14 days of the recruitment of the first employee ‘FORM-D’ should be filled in duplicate, certified and sent by registered post to the nearest Labour Office or directly to the Commissioner of Labour. A prompt reply will be sent along with the registration number and two letters of the English Alphabet indicating the revenue district.

The United Nations General Assembly used this day to encourage countries to firstly to promote mutual exchange and understanding among children and secondly to initiate action to benefit and promote the welfare of the world’s children.

Today, World Children’s Day is celebrated in more than 100 countries. It is interesting to note that November 19 is International Men’s Day. This creates a two day celebration of Men and Children and creates a recognition of the positive role men play in children’s lives.

Irrespective of November 20 being the recognized day many countries follow their own selected date to celebrate and promote the protection and well being of children. For example one other popular Children’s Day would be the International day for Protection of Children observed in many countries on June 1st. This day was said to have been originated by the Women’s International Democratic Federation in 1949. Different Countries have historically celebrated Children’s Days in Different ways.

In Germany, during the Cold War, Children’s Day was handled quite differently in West Germany and East Germany. While East Germany celebrated International Children’s Day on June 1, West Germany celebrated Universal Children’s Day on September 20.

The customs too differed in both East and West. In the East children would receive presents from their parents and special activities would be conducted in school. In the West focus was placed on political efforts to strengthen Children rights. After the reunification the Official day became September 20. However people from East Germany still celebrate it on June 1.

Former Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s birthday, November 14 was declared as Children’s Day. He placed a lot of emphasis on giving love and affection to children whom he saw as the bright future of India. He loved children and they in turn with affection called him Chacha Nehru meaning Uncle Nehru.

In Peru it is celebrated on the third Sunday of August. Since it is on a Sunday the schools would conduct special activities such as field trips and parties on the previous Friday. In Thailand many government offices including the Parliament, Prime Minister’s Office and the Government House are open to Children and their family for tours and visits.

Banks hand out small gifts to children. Many organizations and the King himself take an active involvement in making this day a festive day for the children. Sri Lanka celebrated children’s day earlier this week on October 1. Together with the International Day for Older persons.

- Swasthika Arulingam,
Project Manager,
Programme Support Unit Legal Aid Commission

Vacancy for Legal Officers - Mulaitivu Legal Aid center

The Legal Aid Commission is an independent statutory organization set up to provide free legal aid to the underprivileged section of the society.

Applications are invited for the above post from Attorneys-at-Law with or without experience in Court practice to the above centers on contract basis. The selected candidate shall undertake Counseling, Documentation, Awareness raising, Training and Litigation work for the Legal Aid Clients who come to the Center. Proficiency in Tamil language is a requirement for this post. Closing date of the application is - October 20, 2012. Candidates are invited to submit their complete CV including contact details and references by the above mentioned dead line.

Mailing Address: Swasthika Arulingam, Program Support Unit, Legal Aid Commission,129, Hultsdorp Street,Colombo – 12.

Email: [email protected],
Contact: Swasthika: 0777855105

[ Questions and Answers]

Business of Parliament

Question: Please let me know the idea behind the phrase ‘Business of Parliament’?

- Gangedara,
Katogoda

Answer: The Business of Parliament is conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Standing Order No. 19 in the following order:

Official Oath or Affirmation by New Member administered by the Speaker.

Messages from the President: Messages from the President read out by the Speaker / Deputy Speaker / Deputy Chairman of Committees or by the Presiding member.

Presentation of Papers: Only the Speaker, a Minister or a Deputy Minister can present papers. Annual reports of Corporations and Statutory bodies, Orders, Regulations and Rules are presented.

Presentation of Reports from Committees: Chairmen of the respective Committees shall present reports of Parliamentary Committees. Reports of the Consultative Committees may be presented by the Minister in charge of the subject.

Petitions: Citizens can submit petitions to Parliament through a Member of Parliament to seek redress on administrative grievances. Such petitions are referred to the Committee on Public Petitions for consideration.

Questions: At the Question time, Members of Parliament can put forward oral questions to the Prime Minister or to any Minister with regard to the public affairs according to the subjects and functions assigned to his Ministry. A member can ask only three oral questions per day and the question time is 1.p.m. to 2 p.m.

Vote of Condolence: It is the practice of the House to set apart a day to pass votes of condolences on the demise of Members of Parliament. There is no specific time limit for votes of condolences.

Motions for Leave of Absence: Any Member who may require leave for a continuous period of three months has to obtain the approval of the House. A motion for leave of absence under article 66(f) of the constitution can be moved by any member in the House at the request of the Member concerned and it has to be seconded if it is not moved by a Minister.

Ministerial Statement: Ministerial Statements are made by Ministers on matters of public importance, policy matters and to correct inaccurate information placed before the House for which the Ministers have responsibility. Prior approval of the Speaker is necessary to make Ministerial Statements. No questions are allowed at the time the statement is made but a debate may be allowed on a subsequent day.

Personal Explanations: Any member can make a personal explanation when an allegation is made against him/her in the House or on an inaccurate reporting of proceeding of the House in the newspapers. Personal explanations should be made by the affected member in person and members have to obtain the approval of the Speaker before making such statements.

Questions of Privileges: A Member can raise a matter of privilege in the House after giving due notice to the Speaker under Standing Order No. 19. However, an urgent motion concerning the privileges of Parliament takes precedence over all other business and the proceedings may be interrupted at any time to raise a matter of privilege.

Motions at the Commencement of Public Business Not Requiring Notice Motions for change of Sitting hours, suspension of Standing Orders and to refer a matter of privilege to the Committee on Privileges do not require notice and such motions shall be moved by the Leader of the House of Parliament, Chief Government Whip or by a Cabinet Minister.

Motions at the Commencement of Public Business which requires Notice in general, Bills presented at the commencement of Public Business need notice. Government Bills are presented before Motions for Private Members’ Bills.

Public Business: Public Business refers to all items for which notice has been given and which are included in the Order Paper for a particular day. It includes Bills, Motions, Regulations, Supplementary Estimates, and Private Members Bills etc.

Passport

Question: My father is now 65 years old. He is unable to get his Birth Certificate as the Registrar of Births says his birth has not been registered. I want to take him abroad. Can I get a passport for him without the birth certificates? Please help me.

- Chamara,
Mahara

Answer: You can obtain a Passport for your father who is a Senior Citizen without his Birth Certificate. Your father has to fill the Passport Application Form with five coloured passport size photographs and submit the same to the Department of Immigration and Emigration at Punchi Borella with the following documents:-

National Identity Card (with photocopy) if he possesses one, Probable Age Certificate issued by the Medical Officer, the letter issued by the Registrar of Births stating that your father’s birth has not been registered. If his children were born in Sri Lanka, copies of their Birth Certificates. Marriage Certificate of your father, if your father has sisters/brothers, copies of their Birth Certificates. Affidavit stating that your father has no Birth Certificate. If you submit the Passport Application Form with the above mentioned documents to the Department of Immigration and Emigration, they will issue your father with a Passport since your father is a Senior Citizen. Otherwise the Birth Certificate is a necessary document to obtain Passport.

Committee on Public Petitions

Question: Please let me know the procedure of forwarding a petition to the Committee on Public Petitions in accordance with Standing Orders to the Parliament?

- Dammika,
Narahenpita

Answer: Committee on Public Petitions. This consists of ten members nominated by the Committee of Selection. The duty of this Committee is to consider the petitions sent by the public and referred to it by the Parliament and to report back to the Parliament its opinion on the action to be taken in respect of such petitions.

This Committee has the power to summon before it and question any person, call for and examine any paper, book, record or other document and to have access to stores and property.

Procedure - S.O. No. 25 A - Petitions

Every petition to Parliament shall be addressed to the Speaker and shall be presented by a member.

Every petition shall be in respectful language and shall not contain irrelevant statements.

Every petition shall be clear and legible and shall conclude with a prayer reciting the relief sought

Every petition shall be signed by the petitioner, or petitioners except in case of incapacity by sickness. A person unable to write shall affix his mark in the presence of a witness. The full name and address of every signatory to a petition shall be set out therein.

No letters, affidavits or other documents shall be attached to any petition

No reference shall be made in a petition to any debate in Parliament

It shall not be competent for a member to present a petition from himself but the same may be presented by some other member.

Every petition shall, before it is presented, be signed at the beginning thereof by the member in charge of it and deposited at least two clear days with the Secretary General who shall submit it to the Speaker for approval and no petition shall be presented until it has been so approved.

A member presenting a petition shall confine himself to a statement in the following form:-Mr. Speaker, I present a petition from ............................... (Name of Petitioner) of ............................... and ............................... others’

No debate shall be permitted on this statement.

Visiting Parliament

Question: We like to visit the public galleries of Parliament. How can we get the permission to visit the Parliament?

- Hasitha,
Kataragama

Answer: Any Member of the Public may visit the public galleries of Parliament either as a group or individually on any sitting or non-sitting day. Visits are arranged for 30 minutes duration between 9.30 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. on non-sitting days and till the end of the sessions on any sitting day. Time of Sittings. Unless Parliament otherwise decides, Parliament shall meet in two alternate weeks in each month commencing after the first Sunday of each month and shall sit on the Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays of the first and third of such weeks. Parliament does not ordinarily sit on Saturdays and Sundays and other holidays and the sittings of Parliament are usually held from 1.00 p.m. to 7.30 p.m.

On some days the sittings might be extended beyond 7.30 p.m. During the budget period, generally, the allotted hours of sittings shall be 9.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. and 1.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m. and may subject to change from time to time. Permission to visit Galleries In order to visit the Public Galleries, permission needs to be obtained from the Serjeant -at- Arms. Such a request may be made by contacting the Parliament directly or by completing and forwarding an Inquiry Form. In your inquiry you would have to furnish the following details;

Full Names and addresses of the visitors, National Identity Card (NIC) Numbers of the visitors, Date and Time of Visit, Purpose of Visit: Your Contact details

Once your details have been processed the Serjeant-at-Arms would contact you to confirm your request and in turn would issue the pass to enter the Parliamentary Complex.

Membership certificates

Question: How to provide the employees with membership certificates?

- Karunarathna,
Galle

Answer: An employee should be registered with the EPF within 14 days of appointment. For registration, forms “A, B, H” should be obtained free of charge from the labour department of the area. The duly filled and attested documents should be returned to the Labour Department of the area upon which the “B” card will be returned to the employer. The “B” card should be handed over to the employee by the employer.

Note:

When filling the A, B, H forms the identification, marriage and family member information should be properly checked and the fingerprints should be properly recorded.

EPF

Question: We are running a small business. How to register our business with EPF?

- Samaraweera,
Sent by email

Answer: Regardless of the nature and the category of your business, an employer of even one employee is legally bound to pay contributions to the Fund.

Within 14 days of the recruitment of the first employee ‘FORM-D’ should be filled in duplicate, certified and sent by registered post to the nearest Labour Office or directly to the Commissioner of Labour. A prompt reply will be sent along with the registration number and two letters of the English Alphabet indicating the revenue district.