Speaker’s official residence to be transformed into knowledge center

The official residence of the Speaker will be transformed into a knowledge center, providing information to members representing all levels of governance in the country, Speaker of House Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne said during a meeting held at Parliament with a delegation from the European Union.

According to a statement issued by the Department of Communications of Parliament, the Speaker has stated that the center will be used to impart essential knowledge to members of Local Authorities, Provincial Councils, and Parliament on subjects such as international relations, fiscal policy, and governance.

The Speaker also revealed that it is proposed to develop this center into a national and international-level research institution that supports both qualitative and quantitative research.

These remarks were made during a recent meeting between the Speaker and a delegation from the European Union, including Dr. Jonathan Murphy, Head of the Inter Pares global project implemented by the European Union, and Ms. Ingrid Walker, Programme Manager of Inter Pares.

The Secretary General of Parliament, Kushani Rohanadeera, and Assistant Secretary General Hansa Abeyratne also attended this meeting.

The delegation of the Inter Pares Global project of the European Union, which focuses on strengthening parliamentary capacity, met with the Speaker on July 7, the opening day of a four-day programme organized at the Parliament of Sri Lanka.

The delegation stated that the primary objectives of the programme are to provide the necessary knowledge to enhance legislative activity, oversight, financial, and administrative functions of the Sri Lankan Parliament and to facilitate experience sharing.

During the meeting, discussions were also held on various other areas of focus. Commenting on parliamentary committees, the Speaker briefed the delegation on the activities carried out by the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) and the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA). He further explained that, in addition to the current technical assistance, measures have been taken to obtain legal support for these committees.

The Speaker further emphasized that Parliament aims to take accurate decisions to accelerate the country’s development process while taking strict action against corruption.

Accordingly, the delegation is scheduled to meet with heads of various departments and divisions of Parliament this week, to engage in the exchange of ideas.