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Saturday, 13 October 2012

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Parliament

Private Members' Motions taken up for debate:

Govt has taken measures to help Tsunami victims - Min Dinesh Gunawardene

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.

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