JO objects appointment to Chairman’s Panel

By Ashwin Hemmathagama

The Joint Opposition (JO) Parliamentary Group objected the appointment of UNP MP Dr. Thusitha Wijemanna to the Chairmen’s Panel for the first session of the eighth Parliament. 

The Chairmen’s Panel is made up of MPs chosen by the Speaker at the start of each session to chair the Public Bill Committeeand other general committees in the Parliament following the tradition.

Announcing her appointment, Speaker Karu Jayasuriya said: “I wish to inform the Parliament that in terms of the Standing Order No.139 of Parliament, I have nominated MPs K. Thurairetnasingam and Dr. Thusitha Wijemanna, replacing MPs Dharmalingam Siddharthan and Sriyani Wijewickrama, to serve on the Chairmen’s Panel.”

Objecting to the Speaker appointing MP Wijemanna replacing MP Wijewickrama, the JO Parliamentary Group Leader Dinesh Gunawardena stated that it was an unfair appointment. 

“These two are not from our side. If Sriyani is getting removed from the Chairmen’s Panel, we need to appoint one from our side. If we are unable to find a suitable female MP to hold the post from our side, we will at least nominate a male from the JO,” he said.

In response, the Speaker stated that MP Wijemanna was selected in order to have femalerepresentation, but he would wait for the nomination from the JO.

On 7 October 2015, Jayasuriya nominated lawmakers including Bimal Rathnayake, Edward Gunasekara, J. M. Ananda Kumarasiri, Lucky Jayawardana, Dharmalingam Sithadthan, Sriyani Wijewickrama, Shehan Semasinghe, Kanaka Herath, Velu Kumar and MujiburRahuman to the Chairmen’s Panel for the first session of the eighth Parliament.