Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has refuted recent reports that the Agriculture Ministry which was earlier housed at the Rajamalwatta building complex was shifted to a building at Rajagiriya following a request made by Parliament.
A communique issued by the Speaker’s media unit denied reports quoting Minister of Agriculture, Mahinda Amaraweera, claiming that the Agriculture Ministry was shifted to a new building at Rajagiriya on a request made by Parliament.
According to the Speaker, Parliament didn’t initiate any proposal to get the Rajamalwatta Agriculture Ministry building or part of it for the use of Parliament and shift the Ministry to a building at Rajagiriya.
There was a requirement to provide office facilities to conduct the functions of Sectoral Oversight Committees set up by the Government which came to power in 2015. Following instructions by the Speaker, parliamentary officials examined the feasibility of using the Parliament garage on the ground floor for this purpose.
However, in order to provide office facilities to Parliamentarians in close vicinity and get additional space required for Sectoral Oversight Committees, a decision was taken by the Government to acquire the Agricultural Ministry building at Rajamalwatta.
Therefore, the Agriculture Ministry was shifted to a new building at Rajagiriya following a policy decision was taken by the Government and it was not on a request made by Parliament, the release said.