Speaker tells MPs to behave in Parliament

Tuesday, 22 November 2016 00:43 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Parliament proceedings telecasted live from yesterday
A dedicated channel to be launched in 3 months

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya urged all members of the Parliament to conduct themselves professionally as parliamentary proceedings are now aired live with effect from yesterday.

He said the decision to telecast parliament proceedings live was an outcome of the meeting they had with the Party Leaders held on Sunday.

The live telecast of the third reading of the 2017 Budget debate would be aired through Channel Eye of the Sri Lanka Rupavahini 02-karu Corporaton from 9.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. till 10 December, except on the days where the West Indies, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe one-day international tournament matches would be telecast as the channel has an agreement to broadcast cricket matches live.

As an alternative, the Speaker said that on 21, 23 and 25 November the parliamentary live proceedings would be telecast on Chanel Eye from 9.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m., while the Rupavahini Channel 1 would telecast the rest of the proceedings from 1.00 p.m. to 6.30 p.m.

Speaker Jayasuriya said the Finance Minister on Sunday had promised that a dedicated TV channel to exclusively telecast live proceedings of Parliament would commence within the next three months.

“I believe the initiative would be a great relief for the public,” he added.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinge said: “Proceedings of constitutional assembly should be publicised live. The budget is one of the most significant documents we present to the Parliament and it affects all citizens of the country.”

However, he said the concern now is to find the funds to continue the live telecast. “We need to discuss how we are going to generate funds for this purpose.”

While commending the initiative, UNP MP Buddhika Pathirana pointed out that the television screen which was set at the Jayanthipura for the live telecast of the parliamentary proceedings was out of order and requested it to be fixed.

JVP MP Bimal Ratnayake said all proceedings in Parliament should be telecast live without it being limited to the Budget.

The Speaker Jayasuriya said these requests would be considered, adding that real-time proceedings of the House are aired on the radio.

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