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Speaker rejects opposition request

Speaker Joseph Michael Perera has rejected a request by opposition members of parliament to re-summon parliament to hold an urgent debate on the security situation.

The opposition party members led by Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapakse met the Speaker last week and urged that parliament be resummoned cutting short the nearly month-long break to discuss what they described as the "deteriorating security situation in the east."

However, the government has pointed out that it was not possible to allow such a debate due to the non-availability of the Defence Minister who is scheduled to be out of the country during the third week of September. But the opposition members have allegedly claimed that the presence of the Defence Minister is not necessary.

However, the Speaker has ruled that if a debate is to be held on the security situation in the country, the Defence Minister's presence is required.

Meanwhile Chief Government Whip and Labour Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe says the government is willing to allocate time for a debate on security during the first week of October.

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