Bill to amend Prevention of Crimes Ordinance
The government yesterday in Parliament presented a Bill to amend the Prevention of Crimes Ordinance revising the legal definition pertaining to the expression “Crime”.
The Bill was presented for the first reading by Chief Government Whip and Minister Gayantha Karunathilake on behalf of Justice Minister Dr. Wijayadasa Rajapakshe.
The Bill has provisions to enable the court to direct the police to supervise a person of whom the imprisonment term has expired or under suspended sentence.
The Bill has revised the list of offences considered as “crimes” coming under the Bribery Act, Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption Act, Computer Crime Act, Convention Against Illicit Trafficking in Narcotics drugs and Psychotropic substances Act, Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishable Act, Convention on the Suppression of terrorist Financing Act, Firearms Ordinance, Immigrants and Emigrants Act, Intellectual Property Act, Offences Against Public Property Act, Offensive Weapons Act, Payment Devices Frauds Act, Penal Code, Poisons Opium and Dangerous Drugs Act, Prevention of Money Laundering Act, Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act, and Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment Act.
The Bill will be taken up for debate in the House on a future date.
House postpones taking up of Local Authorities Election Amendment Bill
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday said that the Local Authorities Election Amendment Bill which was due to be taken up yesterday had to be postponed to consider the concerns of the female Parliamentarians.
He made this observation at the commencement of the orders of the day.
“We have had to postpone some matters scheduled for today,” the Prime Minister said.
“Some female members have said that they have to make suggestions to the amendment. We apologise to them. The matter could be taken up after discussing at the Party Leaders’ meeting,” he said.
Health Ministry refuses to settle bill for special drugs of Parliament Medical Centre
The Health Ministry has refused to settle the outstanding bill for special pharmaceutical drugs issued by the Medical Centre of Parliament, Speaker Karu Jayasuriya informed Parliament yesterday.
UPFA MP Ranjith de Zoysa, bringing to the attention of the Speaker that the Medical Centre of Parliament has stopped issuing medicine, asked as to why Parliament does not settle the overdue amount of Rs. 45 million to the State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC).
“About 1,200 Parliamentary staff and public representatives can obtain medical treatment from the centre. When I went to the centre today, they refused to issue any medicine,” the MP said.
The Speaker said the bill of the Parliament Medical Centre is settled by the Health Ministry, adding that Parliament could not take responsibility for that.
“I spoke to Health Minister Dr. Rajitha Senarathna over the matter. He cited an audit inquiry as the reason for not settling the bill. The Health Ministry has refused to pay for special medicinal drugs. You can obtain normal treatment, but the centre has suspended issuing special medicinal drugs,” he said.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said he would inquire about the matter from the Health Minister.
Meanwhile, Parliament had yesterday returned a stock of fruits as the stock was not up to the standards. Fruits such as bananas and pineapples are supplied to Parliament regularly.
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