Parliamentary debate on PRECIFAC and Bond reports on Feb 6

The Parliament Deputy Secretary General announced that the parliamentary debate on the PRECIFAC and bond commission reports will be conducted on February 6. 

The Deputy Secretary General made the announcement following a meeting that was held between Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Speaker of parliament. 

Ada Derana correspondents revealed that a date for the debate on the PRECIFAC and Bond commission reports was not finalized at the party leaders meeting held at the parliamentary complex today (30). 

Speaker of Parliament Karu Jayasuriya convened a party leaders meeting at 12.00 noon today (31). The meeting was attended by Deputy Speaker Thilanga Sumathipala, Minister Lakshman Kiriella, Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe, MP Dinesh Gunawardene, MP Ravi Karunanayake, MP Vijitha Herath and MP A.Sumanthiran. 

Upon the invitation of the Speaker the Commissioner of Elections Mahinda Deshapriya along with the Deputy Commissioner and two other representatives from the Elections Commission attended the meeting. 

The committee initially discussed the practical problems that may arise should the debate on the Bond Commission and PRECIFAC reports be taken up for debate on February 8, as previously suggested.   

During the discussion that ensued the Speaker acknowledged the Elections Commissioner for taking steps to ensure that an unbiased election may take place. He later stated that the debate on the reports should be held on a date earlier than February 8 to ensure that the efforts rendered by the Elections Commission are preserved. All attendees seconded the proposal made by the Speaker. 

Following the suggestion the Speaker consulted Prime Minister Wickremesinghe who agreed to conduct the debate on February 6. 

Accordingly the Speaker requested that the Prime Minister convene Parliament on February 6 in accordance with Standing Order 14. The debate on the reports will thereby be held at 10.30am on February 8.