Sri Lankans are proud to be recognised as a role model for other countries by the Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU), Speaker Karu Jayasuriya said yesterday.
He made this observation addressing the inauguration of the Eighth Conference of the SAARC Speakers and Parliamentarians Association held at the Hilton Hotel, Colombo.
The Speaker also said that Sri Lanka also has a proud record of upholding parliamentary democracy for a continuous seventy years despite many obstacles including two failed military coup attempts and a three decade civil war that crippled the life of the whole country.
“The 19th Amendment to the constitution passed in Parliament, is one concept of good governance introduced during the last three years,” Speaker Jayasuriya said. “The same amendment introduced the Constitutional Council which is responsible for the appointment of members to nine independent commissions,”Speaker Jayasuriya said.
The Speaker said the Prime Minister’s question time was increased. The Committee was strengthened by the establishment of Sectoral Oversight Committees and a Public Finance Committee. The Standing Orders of Parliament will also be amended in order to fall in line with the international best practises, he said.
The current President of the Association of SAARC Speakers and Parliamentarians, the Speaker of Maldivian Parliament Abdullah Maseen Mohamed said Sri Lanka has been offered the Chair of the Association for the next year.
He also appreciated the warm welcome extended by the Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Deputy Speaker Thilanga Sumathipala delivered the vote of thanks.