Mahinda Yapa Abewardena to be Speaker of 9th Parliament
COLOMBO – The new Speaker of Parliament will be veteran parliamentarian Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, the Parliament Spokesman said on Wednesday (19)
Abeywardena who first entered Parliament in 1983 has been the chief minister for the Southern Province, a deputy minister and a cabinet minister.’ He was first elected as a member of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), and this year was elected as a Member of Parliament for the Matara District from the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP).
The Deputy Speaker’s Position, also known as the Chairman of Committees will more likely go to the junior partner in the governing alliance, the SLFP, with sources saying the candidate will be Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, also a former minister.
The Leader of the Opposition position is likely to go Sajith Premadasa, leader of the Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SBJ) the largest opposition grouping.
The 9th Parliament of Sri Lanka will convene on Thursday (20) morning and elect the Speaker, Deputy Speaker and Leader of the Opposition and hold the swearing-in of the members.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa will address Parliament in the afternoon and present his government’s program for the future.
-economynext.com