Speaker to boycott all-party conference

COLOMBO (News 1st) - The speaker's office confirmed to News 1st a short while ago that Speaker Karu Jayasuriya will not attend the all-party conference this evening (November 18). The conference has been convened by President Maithripala Sirisena. The Speaker's office further added that the Speaker will take the relevant actions in due course based on the decisions reached at the all-party conference once those decisions are informed to him. Issuing a media release the President's Media Division said that all party leaders representing Parliament as well as the Speaker was invited for this conference. The all-party conference is due to be held under the patronage of the President at 5 pm at the President's office today (November 18).