All 225 Parliamentarians will receive a laptop with internet facility this week to use while they are in the main Chamber of Parliament. Speaking to the Daily News yesterday Finance Director of Parliament K.G.M. Jayashantha said laptops would be fixed to the Parliamentarians’ benches in the Main Chamber of Parliament this week.
He noted Internet WIFI connection would also be facilitated to them.
“Parliament last Friday received 265 laptops as a grant from China. These will be fixed in the main chamber before the special parliamentary session scheduled for this Friday to felicitate the Prime Minister,” he said.
He said the grant was received as an initiation of Speaker Karu Jayasuriya. He noted the move would help to get the MPs remain in the main chamber for longer periods during the Parliamentary sitting days.
“The annual progress reports and documents are now presented in CDs. Once we fix the laptops they will be able to peruse them while they are in the main chamber. They can use this facility to be better prepared for the debates. It is up to the user to use them in a productive manner,” he explained.
Asked about the value of the Chinese grant, the officer said each laptop would be about Rs 140,000. When calculated the total value would be over Rs.30 million.