Sri Lanka parliament to debate P-TOMS

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 August 2005, 08:03 GMT]
The Sri Lanka's parliament reconvened Tuesday morning with the Speaker Mr.W.M.J.Lokkubandara in the chair. Mr.Lokkubandara informed the house that the ruling party United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) has appointed Mr.Nimal Sripala de Silva as the Leader of the House, filling the vacancy created with the resignation of Mr.Maithiripala Sirisena.

Mr.Nimal Sripala de Silva is the Minister for Health. Mr.Maithiripala Sirisena is the Minister for irrigation and Rajarata Development.

A two-day debate on the P-TOMS agreement signed by the Government and the LTTE to rehabilitate and reconstruct the tsunami destroyed coastal areas in the Northeast province is to be held on August 11 and 12 according to a decision taken at the party leaders' meeting held last week.

Venerable Athuraliya Ratana Thera, parliamentary group leader of the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), all monks' party raised a question in the parliament soon after it commenced business regarding the killing of Mr. Charles Wijewardene, Jaffna Superintendent of Police last Thursday in Jaffna by an angry mob following the killing of a Tamil civilian by an army soldier. He questioned the government what action it has taken to apprehend the killers, sources said.

Mr.Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, Deputy Minister of Defense replied that government would bring those responsible for the murder of the high ranking police official before the court of law.

He added a team of officials of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has commenced investigation in Jaffna to arrest the killers, sources said.