INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:

Parliament approves new regulations under Intellectual Property Act Parliament approved several regulations introduced under the

Intellectual Property Act on royalty payment mechanisms for rights-holders of songs or other musical work, and on empowering collective

societies.Both government and Opposition parliamentarians were supportive of the proposed regulations, considering numerous injustices faced

by artistes due to loopholes in intellectual property laws

The regulations were published in the Gazette Extraordinary No.2128/6 of June 17. Opening the debate on the regulations to the Intellectual

Property Act; Non-Cabinet Minister for Science, Technology, and Research, Sujeewa Senasinghe; said that there were issues relating to the

implementation of intellectual property laws in countries such as Sri Lanka. &The Intellectual Property Act came under my Ministry only

recently

We had to come up with a mechanism to protect the intellectual property rights of our artistes

Presently, there are two organisations established to assist artistes regarding this and I believe more organisations will be set up after

we carry out awareness programmes on these rights,& Senasinghe said. &We hope for the participation of all artistes in this initiative

We would like to increase the efficiency of the Intellectual Property Act implementation by getting the assistance of new lawyers

We need the assistance of all artistes to make this endevour a success,& he added. Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) MP Nalinda Jayatissa,

joining the debate, questioned Senasinghe if the government had taken any steps to make private TV and radio channels provide the payments

related to intellectual property. In reply, Senasinghe said that the government would extend its awareness programmes to TV and radio

channels, and would also take steps to computerise all details related to intellectual properties

He added that the government would establish a system through which all parties who have contributed to musical content would receive their

due royalty payments. MP Jayatissa also pointed out that no royalty payments had been provided to the lyricists and music composers of the

Sri Lanka Police anthem. United National Party (UNP) MP Prof

Ashu Marasinghe said that the regulations introduced by the extraordinary gazette were of utmost importance for the betterment of the

artistes in the country

He added that societies active on intellectual property rights should be established focusing on every field of arts. Prof

Marasinghe also said the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation and the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation should strictly follow the Intellectual

Property Act—if not, the government should take measures to regulate such actions

United People Freedom Alliance (UPFA) MP Bandula Gunawardena said that writers also have many issues with royalty payments: &Without a

publisher, it is quite difficult for writers to print their books as author publications

We should take precautions to stop other people from scamming the royalty payments for books whose authors have passed away,& he said. &We

need a proper system to ensure the royalty payments of our artistes

It is the government responsibility to make a better future for the artistes in the country,& the parliamentarian added. Dispute over

H&tota job-seekers employed at K&gala CCF sites Chief Whip questions MP Jayasekara objection Chief Government Whip Gayantha Karunatileka

inquired yesterday in Parliament from MP Dayasiri Jayasekara if he was against those from Hambantota contesting for elections in

Kurunegala. He queried from MP Jayasekara when the latter questioned about offering jobs to those from Hambantota at Central Cultural Fund

(CCF) sites in Kurunegala that come under the Housing and Cultural Affairs Ministry. &Are you against us giving jobs to those from

Hambantota or are you against those from Hambantota contesting the elections in Kurunegala?& Karunatileka asked

MP Jayasekara answered in the negative. MP Karunathilake asked if the United People Freedom Alliance (UPFA) was having in-house differences

over providing opportunities to job-seekers from Hambantota. Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa told the government that the UPFA could

sort its in-house differences without the help of the latter. Probable monopoly in fuel transportation sector Plans afoot for high-tech

monitoring system: Minister Highways and Road Development and Petroleum Resources Development Minister Kabir Hashim said in Parliament,

yesterday, that there seems to be a certain level of monopoly in the fuel transportation sector. Hence, the ministry has made plans to

employ a high-tech monitoring system to prevent malpractices, he said. Minister Hashim said the government would provide opportunities to

private bowser owners willing to transport fuel under comprehensive charges, adding that plans were also afoot to introduce a

nondiscriminatory payment system for these private bowser owners In reply to a question raised by Parliamentarian Hesha Withanage, Minister

Hashim said that there were 421 members in the Ceylon Petroleum Private Bowser Owners& Association

He also said that there was a total of 743 bowsers privately hired by the Ceylon Petroleum Storage Terminal, as well as 150 bowsers hired by

the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation. &When I went through the list of members, I saw that some companies owned around 15 bowsers

Some owned three bowsers

All these opportunities were given in the years 2010, 2011, and 2012

Now, we are open to anybody who owns a bowser to join us if they are offering fair prices,& the minister said. ‘Mobile district

secretariat to resolve land issues in Kilinochchi& Chief Government Whip Gayantha Karunatileka said that the government has decided to set

up mobile district secretariats to resolve land-related issues in Kilinochchi. The minister was replying to Tamil National Alliance (TNA)

Parliamentarian S

Sritharan, who highlighted that the war-affected people in Kilinochchi were mortgaging their lands and obtaining loans from banks and other

financial institutions due to poverty. &There are others who cannot find redress even after selling their lands and many families have been

denied of their freehold land titles though they have been living there for over 60 years,& Sritharan said, &It is unfair to people who

survived the brutal war to suffer again owing to the delays in departments.& In reply, Chief Government Whip Karunatilake said, &Issuing

land deeds to them would be a complex task and would involve several ministries to cooperate.& &However, we have decided to set up several

special mobile district secretariats to find solutions to their issues

You could ask people who have been deprived of their deeds to come there.& Inquiry into overdue SriLankan payments COPE recommends legal

action against Presidential Secretariat, MFA The Committee on Public Enterprise (COPE) recommended taking legal action against the

Presidential Secretariat and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) for not settling payments amounting to Rs.123 million due on SriLankan

Airlines for certain transactions that have taken place during the previous regime. According to COPE Chairman and Janatha Vimukthi

Peramuna (JVP) MP Sunil Handunnetti, the Presidential Secretariat owes Sri Lanka Airlines a sum of Rs.114 million, while the Foreign Affairs

Ministry owes an amount of Rs.9 million. The recommendation was pronounced yesterday at the COPE proceedings held in Parliament

Representatives of SriLankan Airlines were summoned for the COPE inquiry. Handunnetti said the payments are related to the misuse of the

national carrier by those attached to the said two government bodies during the previous regime, where they have used the airline service

without purchasing tickets. COPE proceedings are now open to the media. Holidays (Amendment) Bill consistent with Constitution:

SC The Holidays (Amendment) Bill, the private member bill moved in order to amend the Holidays Act No.29 of 1971, is consistent with the

Constitution, the Supreme Court informed Parliament in its determination. Citing the two petitions filed on par with the Provisions of

Article 121 (1) of the Constitution, the Supreme Court has recommended changes to bring in more clarity to the amendments, Deputy Speaker

and the Chair of Committees, J.M

Ananda Kumarasiri, informed Parliament, yesterday. He said this while reading the Speaker Announcements in the Parliament. Rs.29.174 bn

Supplementary Allocation presented in Parliament A Supplementary Allocation of Rs.29.174 billion was presented in the Parliament for

approval by the government, yesterday. Chief Government Whip Gayantha Karunatileka presented the supplementary allocations released from

Supplementary Support Services and Contingent Liabilities Project appearing under Expenditure from June 1 July 15. The Supplementary

allocations had been made for 112 projects, including an allocation of Rs.200 million for the establishment of the Palmyrah Fund, as well as

Rs.260 million for the construction of houses for war-affected families in the North and the East and Rs.400 million for the Uva Wellassa

Physical and Human Resources Development Project. Government withdraws State Land (Special Provisions) Bill The government withdrew the

State Land (Special Provisions) Bill in Parliament, yesterday. Public Enterprise, Kandyan Heritage, and Kandy Development Minister Lakshman

Kiriella withdrew the bill, which was in the order paper for the second reading debate. Minister Kiriella said that the objective of the

government was to grant land deeds to 2.5 million people who are deprived. The government presented a bill as a solution to it, yet the

Opposition members went to courts to prevent it, he said, adding that hence, there was a legal issue in passing it. Minister Kiriella said

that the Opposition stood against the government move to grant plots of lands to poor. Lands overrun with giant mimosa ‘Rs.125,000

needed to clear one hectare& Mahaweli Development and Environment Minister Ajith Mannapperuma said in Parliament, yesterday, that

Rs.125,000 was required to clear one hectare of land overrun with invasive giant mimosa plants. He added that 360 hectares of the country

are covered with the plant; 40 hectares of land around the Victoria Reservoir and 110 hectares in Kotmale, too, had been affected

It would take four years to eradicate the plant completely, he said; &We are working on the issue, but we lack the funds for it.& He added

that a sum of Rs.50,000 was required to clear one hectare of such an infested land in its second year. He said that country main water

bodies, including tanks and reservoirs, have also been overrun with mimosa—that had been allowed to grow by the governments in the 1960s

and the 1970s, thinking that it would help protect the Mahaweli river banks

He added that the governments that were there before the Mahaweli Project was initiated promoted the spreading of mimosa. He said so

responding to a question raised by United National Party Parliamentarian Rohini Kumari Wijerathna, who urged the government to take

immediate action to save the country water bodies from the invasive plant

The minister said that the government had been working on a project to eradicate the invasive plant, and that the project began in 2016. MP

Wijerathna queried of the success of the project if it started in 2016, adding that even after three years, many water bodies had still been

overrun with the plant

She added that the situation has inconvenienced many farmers

The plant has invaded many areas around the Bowatenna Reservoir in Naula and Matale, she added. MP Wijearathna said that mimosa seeds could

germinate even seven to eight years later. The country has many development officers and agriculture research assistants, in addition to

several others holding such ‘white elephant& posts, she said, adding that they must take part in the endeavour to eradicate the

plant. Minister commends security provided to Dalada Perahera Public Enterprise, Kandyan Heritage, and Kandy Development Minister Lakshman

Kiriella commended the security forces and the police for the provision of security to the Kandy Dalada Perahera. The minister said

yesterday that the perahera was a success. Hence, he said he thanks the police, the Special Task Force, and the Tri-Forces, on behalf of

all Kandyans. Minister Kiriella added that, as the Kandy Perahera was a historic event, it should not be suspended over security

threats. The minister told Parliament, on July 21, that there was information that Islamic terrorists had planned an attack on the Kandy

Esala Perahera and demanded adequate security. ‘Measures afoot to take Madrasa schools under Education Ministry& Education Minister

Akila Viraj Kariyawasam said yesterday that measures were afoot to take the Madrasa Schools under the Education Ministry. He added that

discussions were in progress with the Muslim Religious Affairs Ministry over the matter. The minister said so in response to queries made

by MPs Chaminda Wijesiri and Ananda Aluthgamage

Minister Kariyawasam also said that international schools and private schools would be monitored under the new Education Act that is to be

proposed.