Tea Research Board (Amendment) Act, No. 8 of 2019

PARLIAMENT OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF SRI LANKA TEA RESEARCH BOARD (AMENDMENT) ACT, No. 8 OF 2019 Printed on the Order of Government [Certified on 18th of June, 2019] PRINTED AT THE DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT PRINTING, SRI LANKA TO BE PURCHASED AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS BUREAU, COLOMBO 5 Price : Rs. 8.00 Postage : Rs. 15.00 Published as a Supplement to Part II of the Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka of June 21, 2019 This Act can be downloaded from www.documents.gov.lk Tea Research Board (Amendment) Act, No. 8 of 2019 1 [Certified on 18th of June, 2019] L.D.—O. 22/2014 AN ACT TO AMEND THE TEA RESEARCH BOARD ACT, NO. 52 OF 1993 BE it enacted by the Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka as follows :– 1. This Act may be cited as the Tea Research Board (Amendment) Act, No. 8 of 2019. 2. Section 5 of the Tea Research Board Act, No. 52 of 1993 (hereinafter referred to as the “principal enactment”) is hereby amended by the substitution for paragraph (a), of the following paragraph:– “(a) to conduct, assist and encourage scientific and technological research in, and investigations of, all matters pertaining to the production and manufacture of tea, including the prevention and control of diseases and pests affecting tea, conservation of soil in tea lands, quality of fertilizer used, maintaining the quality of tea planting material, assessing and dealing with the impact of climate change and diversification of tea products; and to disseminate and publish at its discretion, the results of such research to the Tea Small Holdings Development Authority established by the Tea Small Holdings Development Law, No.35 of 1975, to tea small holders, large scale estate sector and to other stakeholders;”. Short title. Amendment of section 5 of the Act, No. 52 of 1993. 2 Tea Research Board (Amendment) Act, No. 8 of 2019 3. Section 6 of the principal enactment is hereby amended as follows: (1) by the insertion, immediately after paragraph (j) thereof, of the following new paragraph: “(k) (i) to prevent the import of any tea planting material except under the authority of a Plant Importation Permit issued to the Director of the Tea Research Institute by the Director General of the Department of Agriculture under the Plant Protection Act, No. 35 of 1999 and in the case of export, to issue a phytosanitary certificate on the request of the country of import; (ii) For the purpose of this paragraph “ tea planting material” includes any kind of planting material that may be capable of being used directly as propagules including cuttings, shoots, scions, stumps, seeds, in vitro cultures (micro propagules) or any kind of plant material that can be regenerated to produce plants indirectly, including any form of somatic or reproductive tissue, organ and also germplasm, improved variety, cultivar, wild form of tea from any living portion of any tea plant capable of being used for propagation;”; and (2) by renumbering paragraphs (k), (l), (m), (n) and (o) as paragraphs (l), (m), (n), (o) and (p) of that section. Amendment of section 6 of the principal enactment. Tea Research Board (Amendment) Act, No. 8 of 2019 3 4. Section 7 of the principal enactment is hereby amended by the repeal of paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of that section and the substitution therefor of the following: “(b) the following nominated members appointed by the Minister, namely – (i) a representative of the Ministry of the Minister in charge of the subject of Plantation Industries, nominated by that Minister; (ii) a representative of the Ministry of the Minister in charge of the subject of Finance not below the rank of a Senior Assistant Secretary, nominated by that Minister; (iii) a representative of the Sri Lanka Tea Board established by the Sri Lanka Tea Board Law, No.14 of 1975, nominated by such Board; (iv) a representative of the Tea Small Holdings Development Authority established by the Tea Small Holdings Development Law, No. 35 of 1975, nominated by such Authority; (v) two members nominated by the Minister in charge of the subject of Plantation Industries from amongst persons having sufficient knowledge and experience in research and development in the Agricultural Sector; Amendment of section 7 of the principal enactment. 4 Tea Research Board (Amendment) Act, No. 8 of 2019 (vi) a representative of the Planters' Association of Ceylon established by the Planters' Association of Ceylon Ordinance (Chapter 291), nominated by such Association; (vii) two members representing the Trade Unions, who shall be selected on such criteria as may be determined by the Minister in charge of the subject of Plantation Industries; For the purpose of this sub-paragraph “Trade Unions” shall have the same meaning as in the Trade Unions Ordinance (Chapter 138); (viii) a representative of the Sri Lanka Federation of Tea Small Holdings Development Societies established under the Tea Small Holdings Development Law, No. 35 of 1975, nominated by that Federation; and (ix) a representative of the Sri Lanka Tea Factory Owners’ Association, nominated by that Association.”. 5. In the event of any inconsistency between the Sinhala and Tamil texts of this Act, the Sinhala text shall prevail. Sinhala text to prevail in case of inconsistency. Tea Research Board (Amendment) Act, No. 8 of 2019 5 English Acts of the Parliament can be purchased at the “PRAKASHANA PIYASA”, DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT PRINTING, NO. 118, DR. DANISTER DE SILVA MAWATHA, COLOMBO 8.