The first meeting of the Former Parliamentarians’ Caucus was held at Parliament recently under the Chairmanship of Speaker Hon. Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana. Hon. Deshamanya Karu Jayasuriya, a former Speaker of Parliament, was unanimously appointed as the Caucus Chair. His name was proposed by the former Deputy Speaker Hon. Thilanga Sumathipala and former Member of Parliament Hon. (Mrs.) Sumedha G. Jayasena.
Apart from the said, former member of Parliament Hon. Shantha Premaratne was appointed as the convener of the Caucus unanimously.
The Secretary General of the Parliament Mrs. Kushani Rohanadeera and Assistant General Secretary Mr. Hansa Abeyratne were also present at this meeting.
There was a discussion at length regarding issues faced by the former members of Parliament, and Mrs. Kushani Rohanadeera, the Secretary General of the Parliament stated that the Secretariat of the Parliament is working to resolve such concerns.
The Speaker pointed out the importance of contributing knowledge and experience of former parliamentarians for the future development of the country.
Accordingly, the Members of Parliament also agreed to form a constitution for the Caucus and to form sub-committees to contribute to the development of the country by utilizing the international relations and political experience of former parliamentarians.
Accordingly, sub-committee on welfare affairs, sub-committee on constitutional affairs, sub-committee on political affairs and sub-committee on economic and international affairs were formed.
Former Speaker Hon. Karu Jayasuriya, former Deputy Speakers Hon. Thilanga Sumathipala, and Hon. J. M. Ananda Kumarasiri, former Members of Parliament Hon. Shantha Premaratne, Hon. Anura Bastian, Hon. Chandradasa Galappatti, Hon. Ranjan Ramanayake, Hon. Chandana Kathriarachchi, Hon. Jeevan Kumarathunga, Hon. (Mrs.) Sumedha G. Jayasena, Hon. Tissa Karalliyadde, Hon. Ameer Ali, Hon. Noel Padmasiri, Hon. Ananda Kularatne, Hon. Samantha Karunarathne, Hon. Mrs. Hema Ratnayake, Hon. Upali Amarasiri, Hon. Themiya Loku Bandara, Hon. Kesaralal Gunasekara, Hon. Samansiri Herath, Hon. Deepal Gunasekara, Hon. Premasiri Manage, Hon. P. Tissakuttiarachi, Uditha Lokubandara, Hon. Kamala Ranatunga, Hon. R. Nandimitra, Hon.G de Soyza, Ravindra Samaraweera, Hon. Nandana Gunathilake, Hon. Nandimitra Ekanayake, Hon. P Dayaratne were present at the meeting.
