MANUFACTURER CONDUCTS INSPECTION OF ELEVATORS IN P’MENT

The elevators at the parliamentary complex were subjected to a mechanical inspection during the weekend as part of an investigation into an incident in which 12 MPS were stuck in one for 25 minutes last Thursday (7), an official said yesterday.

A REPORT ON THE INCIDENT WOULD BE SUBMITTED TO THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF PARLIAMENT

Serjeant -at -Arms of Parliament Narendra Fernando told Daily Mirror that a report on the incident would be submitted to the Secretary General of Parliament Dammika Dasanayake on Wednesday (13).

He said the officials of Otis, the manufacturer and supplier of elevators to Parliament, carried out a mechanical check during the weekend.

There are nine elevators in the parliamentary complex. Two of them, numbered six and seven, are reserved for the MPS on the days when sitting are held.

Twelve MPS – 11 from the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) and one from the United National Party (UNP) - were stuck inside the sixth elevator last Thursday.

Mr. Fernando told Daily Mirror that a thorough investigation had been launched into the incident. He said the elevators were inspected routinely. He said an elevator could carry 13 persons or 900 kilos at a time.

“Actually, two officials of Otis are stationed in the parliamentary complex every day as a precaution. Even the Prime Minister got stuck in one of them.

There have also been instances when our parliamentary staff members have been stuck inside these elevators,” he said.