Speaker regrets Dinesh’s ‘mix up’ regarding Opposition Leader’s post

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya yesterday said that he deeply regretted that MP Dinesh Gunawardena mixed up the official visit to India with the Opposition Leader post in Parliament. The Speaker made the above observation in a reply letter to Joint Opposition Parliamentary Group Leader Dinesh Gunawardena. MP Gunawardena wrote to the Speaker on Monday, refusing to join the multi-party Sri Lankan delegation to New Delhi, India.

Gunawardena stated that he did not want to be a part of the multi-party delegation led by Speaker Jayasuriya, as the JO’s right of holding the Opposition Leader post in Parliament was denied. Speaker Jayasuriya in response, stated that he invit Gunawardena for the New Delhi visit with good intentions. “When I invited MPs to be a part of this delegation, I did not consider the posts they hold in the Opposition. MPs such as the All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) leader Rishad Bathiudeen, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) leader Rauff Hakeem had also been invited on behalf of their parties.

Therefore, I deeply regret of you being concerning confused this visit with the Opposition Leader post,” Speaker Jayasuriya said. India has invited a multi-party Sri Lankan delegation to visit New Delhi for a familiarisation tour where bilateral matters will be discussed. The delegation was led by Speaker Jayasuriya. Gunawardena had been invited to be a part of that delegation on behalf of the JO by Speaker Jayasuriya.