Opposition parliamentarian Prasad Siriwardana says he found no evidence of rodents or unhygienic conditions inside the Parliamentary kitchen during an inspection carried out yesterday (24).
Siriwardana said storage areas were protected with glass and nets, while staff members were maintaining cleanliness on a continuous basis.
He noted that in the past 35 years there had been no complaints about the quality of food served at Parliament and claimed the Speaker’s remarks had harmed the dignity and respect of the staff.
However, Siriwardana also pointed out that the facilities were in a state of disrepair. He observed that six out of seven stoves were out of order, equipment was broken, tiles were worn, the exhaust fans were not functioning, and even restrooms were in poor condition.
He urged authorities to address these shortcomings immediately to ensure staff are not further inconvenienced.
His remarks follow Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne’s recent disclosure that an inspection by the Battaramulla Medical Officer of Health had uncovered traces of rats and cockroaches, damaged cooking utensils, broken flooring, and food additives unfit for human consumption in the Parliament cafeteria.
The Speaker said the report by public health inspectors has not yet been released publicly but warned of the risks to MPs if food poisoning were to occur on a crucial day, such as during a two-thirds vote in Parliament. (Newswire)
