Speaker of Parliament – Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana announced to the House today (05) that it has been brought to the attention of MPs that there has been a growing tendency to criticize government officials holding high posts without any basis and on unverifiable grounds at various occasions in this Supreme Assembly by some Members of Parliament for their personal interests by referring official decisions and works of such officials.
Thus, in many cases, such baseless statements damage the reputation and professional dignity of the said public officials, and I observe that the said officials do not get an opportunity to respond regarding such statements. Hence, they are subject to severe injustice and discouragement, the Speaker said.
Furthermore, the Speaker specifically mentioned that those officials have made complaints in writing to me expressing their deep concern regarding such statements.
If there are criticisms regarding government officials, I would like to emphasize that they can be summoned before the Parliament to inquire about such matters and necessary action can be taken, and therefore all Members of Parliament are informed hereby that they should refrain from making baseless accusations on such officials in this House. Further, I would like to inform that such defamatory or abusive statements will also be expunged from the Hansard Report as per the provisions of the Standing Order 91(g), the Speaker added.
