A decision has been taken to appoint a committee to provide recommendations to enhance the safety of food and beverages in Parliament.

The decision was taken by the House Committee which convened under the patronage of Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne.

At the request of the Speaker, a team of Public Health Inspectors led by the Medical Officer of Health, Battaramulla, conducted inspections last April of the kitchens and other locations within the Parliamentary premises related to the preparation of food and beverages. 

Accordingly, the Public Health Inspectors submitted to the House Committee a detailed report inclusive of their observations, the Department of Communication of Parliament said.

Expressing his views on this occasion, the Battaramulla Medical Officer of Health, Y.B. Indika, stated that although food safety inspections had been carried out in approximately 150 state institutions within the Battaramulla area, this was the first time that such an inspection regarding the safety of food in Parliament had taken place. 

He also expressed gratitude to the Speaker for facilitating this intervention. He further noted that a report of the inspection carried out on the procurement of raw materials, food production, storage, and serving processes in Parliament had been handed over to the Speaker.

The Speaker emphasized the necessity of ensuring the safety of food and beverages in Parliament, since they are provided to Members of Parliament, foreign diplomats, state officials, members of the security forces, and other staff. 

Accordingly, the Speaker stated that a committee will be appointed in order to prepare proposals to promptly address the shortcomings in the existing infrastructure facilities as well as other issues prevailing in the food and beverages sector of Parliament.

It was proposed that the committee should comprise of the Medical Officer of Health in charge of the area, Public Health Inspectors and an engineer/architect with expertise in kitchen work from the State Engineering Corporation, Director of Catering and Housekeeping Services of Parliament and Coordinating Engineer of Parliament, the statement added.

In addition, the House Committee also paid attention to matters concerning the service and maintenance activities of the official residences of Members of Parliament at Madiwela. The Speaker instructed the relevant officials to take steps to urgently resolve the existing shortcomings in this regard.