Parliament
Private Members' Motions taken up for debate:
Govt has taken measures to help Tsunami victims - Min Dinesh
Gunawardene
Sandasen MARASINGHE and Irangika RANGE
Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa presided, when Parliament met at 1 pm
yesterday.
After presentation of papers and oral questions, the House took up
the private member' smotion moved by UNP MP Buddhika Pathirana, on
solving the problems created by the tsunami disaster, for debate.
Then, UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake, moved the private member's motion on
the prevention of using images of religious leaders for commercial
purposes for debate.
Later, the House took up the private member's motion moved by DNA MP
Ajith Kumara, on the formulation of a national programme on early
childhood education for debate.
Then, UPFA MP A. H. M. Azwer, moved the private member's motion on
the establishment of a "Sister school programme" for a Trilingual Sri
Lanka for debate.
Govt should take measures to help Tsunami affected people
Buddhika Pathirana (UNP)
The country had been badly affected by the tsunami disaster which
occurred in 2004.
A number of people lost their lives and properties in this disaster.
The government should take measures to help affected people to solve
their problems.
Many problems caused by the tsunami still remain unsolved.
There should be an efficient programme to look into the problems of
the people who lost their livelihoods and properties. The people who had
been affected by the Tsunami are still living without proper shelter. I
propose that it is necessary to set up review committees in Tsunami
affected districts at District and Divisional Secretariat levels to
solve these problems.
Ajith P. Perera (UNP)
I second the motion. A number of people living in coastal areas have
lost their properties due to the Tsunami disaster. Still, people who had
been affected from the disaster live in severe hardships.
Therefore, it is necessary to implement a proper programme to solve
their problems.
Justice
Minister Rauf Hakeem
The country was devastated by the Tsunami in 2004. Around 40,000
people had been killed due to the Tsunami in Sri Lanka. A number of
people lost their properties.There are some people who had been affected
by the Tsunami still living under temporary shelters in the Eastern
Province. Therefore, action must be taken to provide them with housing
facilities.
Water Supply and Drainage Minister Dinesh Gunawardene
The government has taken numerous measures to solve the problems
created by the Tsunami in 2004.
We have been able to improve infrastructure facilities in areas
affected by the Tsunami.
We have established buffer zones to project people residing close to
coastal areas.
We have taken measures to uplift the livelihood of the people
affected by Tsunami. A Number or foreign organisations, civil
organisations and foreign countries have supported us to help us recover
from this situation. We have already established relevant committees to
look into the problems of the people and areas affected by the Tsunami
at Divisional Secretarial and District Secretarial levels. The area
where Sri Lanka is situated is prone to natural disasters.
We have considered this situation and constructive measures would be
further taken to mitigate possible damages caused by natural disasters.
Buddhika Pathirana (UNP)
It is necessary to create a methodology to solve problems created by
the Tsunami. The government should allocate sufficient funds to solve
these problems through next year's budget.
Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa: We have taken all possible measures to
solve all these problems created by the Tsunami in the Hambantota
district. We have received anonymous support from politicians,
irrespective of their political parties, religious leaders and foreign
and local organisations to overcome difficulties and problems affected
to the people due to Tsunami in Hambantota.
Religious leaders should not be commercialised
Ravi Karunanayake (UNP)
All religions must be equally respected and images of the Buddha,
Jesus Christ, Lord Shiva or Prophet Mohammed should not be used on any
commercial advertisement or any other form of non religious items.
The Buddhasasana and Religious Affairs Ministry should take measures
to prevent the use of images of religious leaders for commercial
purposes.
Ajith P. Perera (UNP)
I second the motion. Stern action should be taken against those who
use religious symbols and images for commercial purposes. Using of
religious leaders' images and symbols for commercial purposes have
increased during the past few years.
J. C. Ranga (UPFA)
Images of religious leaders have been vastly used for commercial
purposes today. We need to take stern action to prevent these types of
activities in order to bring religious harmony in the country.
We condemn the use of religious leaders for commercial proposes
A. H. M. Azwer (UPFA)
This is a very timely motion. We totally condemn and disagree to
religious leaders being ridiculed.
We are totally opposed to the film on the Youtube insulting Muslims.
Necessary action should be taken to prevent these types of activities.
We are a proud nation.
We respect our religious leaders.
Western Countries have no concern of religion. They should learn to
respect all religions leaders, irrespective of their religion, colour or
caste.
J. R. P. Suriyapperuma (UPFA)
We respect our religious leaders. Insulting the names and images of
religions leaders are still happening. This should not be allowed to
continue further.
Nobody should have a right to disgrace any religion or religious
leader. Religious education should be uplifted to cultivate morals and
values among the children.
Buddha Sasana and Religious Affairs Minister M. K. D. S. Gunawardene
Images of Lord Buddha, Lord Jesus Christ, Lord Shiva or Prophet
Mohammed, should not be used for commercial purposes. We condemn the
film depicting the image of Prophet Mohammed through the Youtube.
Certain elements are trying to insult religions and religious
leaders. It is very pathetic. All religious leaders had taught the right
path to be followed by the people. We will take necessary action if
anybody should involve themselves in using images of religious leaders
for commercial purposes.
UPFA MP A H M Azwer moved
Private members Bill suggesting the establishment of a Sister School
Programme for a Trilingual Sri Lanka.
A. H. M. Azwer (UPFA):
This Parliament resolves that developing a ten year national
strategic framework for a Trilingual Sri Lanka is a landmark measures
for national integration and social harmony and steps be taken by the
Ministry of Education and the Ministry of National Languages and Social
Integration to link individual schools in majority Sinhala speaking
areas with Tamil medium schools in a "Sister School Programme" for the
exchange of students and teachers on short-term exposure programmes.
Deputy Chairman Committees Muragesu
Chandrakumar takes the Chair
This trilingual programme was intiated by Abdul Kalam who was a Prime
Minister in India. He thought that such a project would be supportive
for the reconciliation process. Very recently, Tamil students from
Jaffna came to Ananda College to practice cricket. This happened after
30 years. Thamilnadu thinks that the Tamil language was dying. But we
say that the Tamil language was flourishing here in Sri Lanka.
Knowledge of Tamil is essential to the people
J R P Sooriyapperuma (UPFA):
Once I asked the war heroes of what they learnt during the battle.
They told me the people in the country should learn the Tamil language.
The knowledge of the language is essential for our people. The most
astounding fact is that 26 percent of the people in England cannot read.
Ajith P. Perera (UNP):
The Civil Procedure Code, Criminal Procedure Code and Evidence
Ordinance are not available in the Tamil Language. Sometimes they might
have been printed, yet, they are not available for purchase.
There is a good demand for Tamil language among the Sinhala students,
but trained teachers are not adequate.
Govt providing courses in Tamil for public servants
National Language and Social Integration Minister Vasudeva
Nanayakkara
This motion is very impressive. When students in the North and South
learn each others language, they can communicate and identify each other
to make a strong united nation.
To build up a strong united nation, all communities should entertain
equal dignity. The challenge before us is to train 26,000 teachers who
are competent in both the languages with our limited resources.
The Education Ministry is in the process to overcoming this
challenge.
The IGP yesterday discussed the issues of recruiting officers to
Police Force who know the Tamil language. He said the requirement is
around 1,500 personnel. There is a project to teach Tamil to Police
personnel. However, the knowledge they have is not adequate.
The government is providing courses to educate the second language to
35,000 public servants this year.
There are more than 1,000 associations registered voluntarily to
learn the second language. We have been able to provide more than 500
teachers to those associations. The Civil Procedure Code, Criminal
Procedure Code and Evidence Ordinance have been translated to Tamil and
at the moment is at the Legal Draftment's Department.
When their approval has been granted, they will be published within a
few weeks. The Establishment Code is to be translated in to the Tamil
Language.
A. H.M. Azwer (UPFA):
With the objective of creating a flourishing country, we have brought
this motion.
A. H. M. Azwer takes the Chair
Ajith Kumara (DNA)
Parliament resolves that a national programme be formulated for
providing early childhood education (pre-school education) which is a
very important stage in the process of education of the children of our
country and also a proper training programme, method of recruitment
along with a salary structure be formulated for pre-school wardens.
There are a number of pre-schools in the country that are not
registered. A large number of students are studying there, paying large
sums of money.
All the students in this country should be given an equal opportunity
to free education in pre-schools as well.
Anoma Gamage (UNP):
In rural areas, the pre-schools are conducted with low facilities.
They charge a small amount from each student. So pre-school teachers
lead a very difficult life. Those teachers should be paid at least Rs
5,000 by the government.
Vijitha Berugoda (UPFA):
For pre-school children, the government has initiated many programmes.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa has created a Child Development Ministry.
Child Development and Women's Affairs Minister Tissa Karalliyadda
I thank MP Ajith Kumara for moving this motion. Through the Child
Secretariat many programmes have been initiated to develop pre-schools.
There is a programme to standardize pre-schools. For the development of
pre-schools, a sum of Rs 100 million has been allocated.
Ajith Kumara (DNA):
These projects had not been implemented across the country. That is
why I suggested of a national programme. There should be a programme to
standardize pre-schools, as some of the teachers are not in a position
to develop them.
Sarath Weerasekara (UPFA):
During the conflict period, educated homeguards rendered a great
service in these areas by conducting pre-schools.
Ajith Kumara (DNA):
There should be programmes to educate teachers of pre-schools as well
as the parents of the children because the children would be an excess
burden to the pre-schools.
Parliament adjourned until 1 pm on October 23.
'No decision reached where garbage could be dumped'
Environment Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, stated that no
decision had been reached as to where garbage could be dumped in any
part of the Idikada Mukalana Forest reserve in the Colombo district.
He made this observation in response to a question raised by UNP MP
Dayasiri Jayasekara. The minister stated that the garbage would be
dumped in the Dompe area.
The Idikada Mukalana Forest reserve extends to an area of 572.27
hectare and it had been named on June 19 as a forest reserve. He added
that it had not been used to dump garbage so far. |