Divi Neguma Bill to be debated in House today

The government will take up the ‘Divi Neguma Bill’ for debate in Parliament today in case the Supreme Court’s determination does not create

Once the determination is announced, the government will ask for a special party leaders’ meeting

any impediment for that, a Minister said yesterday. National Languages and Social Integration Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara told the Daily Mirror that the party leaders’ meeting discussed the matter yesterday.

The Supreme Court’s determination on the constitutionality of the Bill will be announced by Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa to the House today.

“Once the determination is announced, the government will ask for a special party leaders’ meeting. It will be only a ceremonial one to take a decision on the Bill. If the Supreme Court determines that the bill should be passed with a two-thirds majority, we will go for it. Otherwise, we will proceed to the next step without debating it,” the Minister said.

The Minister said the debate would be started today itself to be continued for another day.

However, opposition representatives who participated in yesterday’s meeting protested the government’s attempt to place the ‘Divi Neguma Bill’ on today’s order paper of Parliament even before the announcement of the Supreme Court.

The government representatives including Chief Government Whip Dinesh Gunawardane wanted it to be placed it on the order paper.

However, the opposition argued that the government should wait till the Supreme Court ruling in this regard is communicated to Parliament. The meeting became tense due to heated arguments between the government and the opposition in this regard. At one point, UNP MPs Lakshman Kiriella and Ravi Karunanayake even threatened a walkout as a mark of protest. TNA MPs R. Sampanthan and M.A.Sumanthiran and JVP MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake protested the government’s move.

The Divi Neguma Bill seeks to amalgamate Udarata Development Authority, Sri Lanka Samurdhi Authority and Southern Development Authority to form a new department called the ‘Divi Neguma Department’. The bill was challenged by the JVP, the TNA and civil society organizations. Critics say that the bill is mainly aimed at centralizing powers devolved to the provincial councils. However, Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa said that the government had only sought to develop household economies by formalizing the micro-finance sector of the country.

Once the determination is announced, the government will ask for a special party leaders’ meeting. It will be only a ceremonial one to take a decision on the Bill.