• Says no complaint received, State Minister acknowledges reports of same
• Female Housekeeping Dept. staffers reluctant to inform of long-term ‘harassment’ over fear of ‘retaliation’ 

In the wake of reports that the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus (WPC) has requested immediate action against male officers who had allegedly harassed female staff members of the Parliament’s Housekeeping Department, Speaker of the Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana has denied receiving any complaint in this regard.

There were recent media reports to the effect that WPC Chairperson Opposition MP Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle had requested Secretary General of the Parliament Kushani Rohanadheera to inquire into the alleged incidents where female staffers of the said department were facing various harassments by male officers.

It was also reported that female staff members are reluctant to inform the relevant authorities regarding such incidents for fear of losing their jobs. They have reportedly informed the relevant officials of the Parliament of having been subjected to various forms of harassment over an extended period of time and that they fear retaliation if they object to such.

Media reports further stated that Rohanadheera, while emphasising that the incidents would not be taken lightly, had assured immediate action regarding the incidents following a proper investigation.

Multiple attempts made by The Daily Morning to contact Rohanadheera and a few other Parliamentary officials as well as Dr. Fernandopulle and WPC Members MPs Rohini Kumari Wijerathna Kavirathna and K. Gunawardena proved futile.

However, when The Daily Morning conveyed the reports to a State Minister, she acknowledged that the reported type of incidents had occurred.

When queried regarding the matter, Abeywardana said that he was unaware of any such incidents, adding that no related complaint had reached him. “We have not received any complaint of that kind. If there is anything, they should inform us, but no one has informed us of such.”

The Catering and Housekeeping Department was initially established under the technical and professional expertise and consultation of an internationally recognised premier five-star hotel. Subsequently, the department was taken under the staff of the Speaker. The department, which comes under the purview of the Director of Operations plays an important and prominent role in day-to-day operations. It has four major subdivisions, namely the kitchen, the restaurant, housekeeping, and accounts.