Speaker receives death threats on joint opposition issue

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya says he received death threats last night over his refusal to recognise the joint opposition as a separate group in Parliament.

The Speaker told Parliament today that he received the threat over the telephone but he was not shaken by the threats and maintains his position on the issue.

Jayasuriya had yesterday refused to?recognise the joint opposition as a separate group in Parliament and this led to an uproar in the House.

Joint opposition member Dinesh Gunawardena, speaking in Parliament today, made a fresh appeal for the joint opposition to be recognised as a separate group.

However the Speaker said that?six political parties are recognised in Parliament and among the six is the?Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).

He said Sri Lanka Freedom Party had informed him that there is no alternate group in the SLFP.

The Speaker said that he is not in a position to recognise the joint opposition as an independent group?as?those in the group are elected SLFP Parliamentarians. (Colombo Gazette)