Parliament apologises to Justice Minister over title error

Saturday, 14 December 2024 00:19 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Justice and National Integration Minister Harshana Nanayakkara

Legislative Services and Director of Communications of Parliament Acting Director Jayalath Perera has announced that the process of re-checking and updating information of all Members of Parliament on the official Parliamentary website is currently underway.

In a statement yesterday, the Parliament was forced to address the controversy surrounding the use of the title Dr. before the name of Minister of Justice and National Integration, Attorney Harshana Nanayakkara, on its website. Perera clarified that Nanayakkara had not indicated holding a doctorate in the information provided to Parliament. The appearance of the title was attributed to a data entry error, and corrective action has since been taken, he confirmed.

“We express our deepest regret for the inconvenience caused to the Minister of Justice and National Integration,” Perera said.

The issue gained attention after questions were raised about the academic credentials of Speaker Asoka Sapumal Ranwala, prompting activists and members of the public to scrutinise the titles used by MPs. Reports revealed that the title Dr. had previously appeared in official letters issued by the Office of the Leader of the House referring to Nanayakkara, adding fuel to the controversy when it was subsequently removed from the Parliamentary website.

This incident led to speculation about whether academics elected under the National People’s Power (NPP) ticket had misrepresented their qualifications to gain public trust.

In response, Parliamentary authorities have now instructed officials to conduct a thorough review of titles used in official records to ensure accuracy and prevent similar errors in the future.