New Parliament gets going

• Speaker, DS, and Dep. Chairman of Committees appointed unanimously
• Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena elected Speaker, Siyambalapitiya as Deputy Speaker
• Anjagan Ramanathan appointed Dep. Chairman of Committees
• Sajith Premadasa recognised as Opposition Leader 
• Kiriella named Chief Opposition Whip

By Chandani Kirinde

The Ninth Parliament of Sri Lanka got off to a smooth start yesterday with the election of a new Speaker and swearing-in of newly-elected Members of Parliament (MPs), followed by the election of a Deputy Speaker and a Deputy Chairman of Committees.

All three were appointed with the unanimous support of the House with the name of Matara District SLPP MP Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena’s name proposed for the post of Speaker by Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and seconded by Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SBJ) MP Ranjith Maddumabandara.

He was escorted to the Speaker’s chair by the two MPs who proposed and seconded his name, following which Abeywardena took his oaths before Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake.  

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa led party leaders in wishing the new Speaker on his appointment to the high post of Speaker of Parliament. They were unanimous in their call to Speaker Abeywardena to restore the dignity of the House, and ensure fair play and a level playing field for all lawmakers who are represented in the Ninth Parliament.

This was followed by all MPs taking their oaths before the Speaker. The MPs read out their oath, made available in all three languages, pledging to uphold and defend the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. The new MPs also pledged to “not, directly or indirectly, in or outside Sri Lanka, support, espouse, promote, finance, encourage or advocate the establishment of a separate State within the territory of Sri Lanka”.

After the MPs were sworn in, the name of Kegalle District MP Ranjith Siyambalapitiya was proposed for the post of Deputy Speaker by Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, and seconded by State Minister Nimal Lanza, while SLFP Jaffna District Angajan Ramanathan’s name was proposed for the post of Deputy Chairman of Committee by Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva, and seconded by State Minister Duminda Dissanayake.

The Speaker recognised Ministers Dinesh Gunawardena as the Leader of the House and Johnston Fernando as the Chief Government Whip, respectively. SBJ Leader Colombo District MP Sajith Premadasa was recognised as the Leader of the Opposition. SBJ Kandy District MP Lakshman Kiriella was named the Chief Opposition Whip. He was the Leader of the House in the last Parliament.

Following this, sittings were suspended till 3 p.m., at which time the ceremonial sitting of the House, presided over by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, began.