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When it comes to question-answer sessions in Parliament, there have been some concerns about the conduct of the government.

First is the long delay in responding to questions submitted by the Opposition. Raising the issue in Parliament this week, Opposition member Chamara Sampath Dassanayake said he had asked a question six months ago and was yet to receive a response from government ranks.

For the one and only MP from the United National Party (UNP), Ravi Karunanayake, it is even worse. He had asked a question over a year ago, and no response has been given so far.

This week, Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchchi (ITAK) MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam raised a question from Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya on the government’s stand on the recent UN Resolution that was passed earlier this week extending the UN Human Rights Council mandate on Sri Lanka for two more years. Premier Amarasuriya asked for two weeks to respond to the question.

Commenting on the government’s handling of parliamentary affairs, a seasoned Opposition MP said it had become ‘unparliamentary’, especially when the
Deputy Minister responds to questions directed at the Cabinet Minister, while the Minister seated beside him remains silent.

Opposition MPs meet Speaker, request probe on containers

A group of SJB MPs met Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne in the Parliament office this week to hand over a motion to set up a select committee to investigate the release of more than 300 containers from the Colombo Port.

The Speaker had been taken aback at seeing the opposition delegation led by Chief Opposition Whip Ranjith Maddumabandara entering his room, thinking the MPs were coming to hand over the no-confidence motion they were planning against him.

However, the SJB MPs told him they had come to deal with another matter, and the meeting then proceeded cordially. However, the opposition MPs have not ruled out a NCVM against the Speaker in the near future.

Harsha sounds alarm over ambulance colour change

Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya Parliamentarian Harsha de Silva, who played a role in establishing the ‘Suwaseriya’ ambulance service in Sri Lanka with Indian assistance, was a worried person over a directive given to make changes to the colour of the ambulance and even the logo of the service.

He got permission from the Speaker and raised the question in Parliament this week about the motive to make the changes.

He said the service was introduced as a ‘pre-hospital care’ service and not just an ambulance service, and said a directive has been given to rename the service and introduce ‘their colour’ (party colours)’.

Dr de Silva said if the government needs to make changes, it needs to introduce an amendment to the 1990 Suwaseriya Foundation Act, as the logo of the service is registered under the law.

The MP pointed out that the service provides help to some 1,500 persons a day, travelling some 28,000 kilometres.

However, Deputy Health Minister Hansaka Wijemuni has come out to defend the changes, saying the move was aimed at adopting standard international signage—white with red lettering.

He says the changes are coming along with other improvements.

Dr Wijemuni said the government plans to expand the Suwaseriya ambulance service from about 230 vehicles to 450, with support from the ADB, the Indian Government, and private donations.

The aim is to reduce ambulance response times from 10–15 minutes to seven minutes and to promote the 1990 emergency number.

The Suwaseriya Foundation name will stay, according to the Deputy Minister.

The government is also getting a new, larger headquarters donated by the Public Trustee’s Department, hiring more staff, and using donations for public awareness campaigns.

“The project seeks to improve emergency services while keeping costs low and maintaining international standards,” the deputy minister said.

However, the question about changing the colours of the ambulance comes as there appears to be no international standard in the colours, and besides, the existing colours are already well known among the public.

Also, the cost to repaint the vehicles will be an additional burden to the government, which speaks of ‘cost cutting’.

CIABOC chief Ranga Dissanayake at the book fair

From bribery to books

The Director General of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption, Ranga Dissanayake, has been in the news for all the wrong reasons.

While heated arguments were going on about his appointment both in Parliament and outside, Mr Dissanayake took time to visit the Colombo International Book Fair and was seen mingling with the crowds.

Easter Sunday attack: Police statement deepens controversy over alleged mastermind

The dispute over Wimal Weerawansa’ statement (see story below) was not the only crisis this week where the police may have bitten off more than they can chew.

Another issue stems from a social media post. Samagi Jana Balawegaya National List MP Nizam Kariapper posted that, in response to a question raised by him at the High Posts Committee (HPC), Public Security Ministry Secretary Ravi Seneviratne had stated, “We have identified the main conspirator behind the Easter Sunday attack.”

Mr Seneviratne had allegedly made the disclosure during his confirmation hearing.

Mr Kariapper’s post was picked up by various websites and soon there was speculation over the identity of the so-called mastermind or maha mola karu. In response to this, the Police Media Division issued a statement denying reports attributed to Mr Seneviratne to the effect that the mastermind behind the Easter Sunday attacks had been identified and India was behind it.

The statement said that Mr Seneviratne had appeared before the HPC on October 8, 2025, and had replied to questions raised by members of the committee but had at no point said India had a hand in it, adding that the police were inquiring into such fake news on social media.

Mr Kariapper, in his post, only said Mr Seneviratne had admitted that the “main conspirator behind the attacks had been identified” but made no meantion of who that was, but the police, by denying any Indian link to it, has done more harm than good by leading to more speculation by dragging in the neighbouring nation already under suspicion if it had a hand in it.

Sri Lanka Police or JVP Police? Wimal slams breach of witness confidentiality

It hasn’t been a good week for Sri Lanka Police, mainly due to its eagerness to overshare information, which seems to have done more harm than good.

One was the decision to release details of the statement made by National Freedom Front (NFF) leader Wimal Weerawansa to the Tangalle Police in connection with a statement he had made regarding an alleged drug dealer and his connection to top leaders in the government.

NFF leader Wimal Weerawansa addressing a media conference in Colombo, decrying the police media release on his statement

Mr Weerawansa was summoned to the Tangalle Police to record a statement on Thursday, and the following day the Police Media Division released a statement saying that no evidence was produced by the NFF leader to substantiate his claims with regard to the alleged drug trafficker named Weerasinghe Sanath (alias Beliatte Sana a.k.a. Puwakdandawe Sana) and his political connections.

However, the decision to release details of a statement made to the police has kicked up a storm, with questions being raised over the police action. Mr Weerawansa called a press conference yesterday to question the police decision, saying that statements made to the police have to be kept confidential and only released if there are legal proceedings.

“Under Section 110 of the Code of Criminal Procedure Act, there is a procedure laid down for examination of witnesses by police or inquirer. Even if the person making the statements wants a copy, it has to be obtained through a lawyer. Here, the police have edited my statement and released it to suit a political agenda,” he said, adding, “I have to question if we now have Sri Lanka Police or a JVP Police.”

He also said that such a statement could not have been released without the authorisation of the IGP and accused the police chief of hunting down political opponents of the government instead of working to maintain law and order in the country.

One diplomat pushes for Metro bus tender; another blamed for US criticism

The Cabinet of Ministers recently approved a proposal for the establishment of a Metro Bus Unit for urban transportation.

The proposal was aimed at putting into operation a fleet of comfortable, high-tech buses as a pilot project for the modernisation of public transport services. Since the plan was mooted, a Colombo-based foreign envoy has been doing the rounds to convince a few ministers to obtain the contract to provide the buses for his country. So far his efforts have proven futile, but the envoy remains persistent.

Meanwhile, another high-profile diplomat in Colombo is being blamed for passing on ‘wrong information’ that led to the US Department of State’s Investment Climate Statement on Sri Lanka. The US report stated that foreign investment in the island is limited and ‘difficult’ due to minimal progress on ‘structural reforms’ and ‘stronger governance mechanisms’.

Despite the electoral victory of a new government under President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the outward commitment of his National People’s Power coalition to encourage Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), investors remain wary, the report released this week said.

Government sources claim the report is based on wrong information given by the diplomat and has rejected the report’s content.