President Ranil Wickremesinghe said that the country has had to face adverse repercussions today due to the short-sighted popular decisions taken in the past and unpopular decisions need to be taken for the future prospects of the country.
Joining the Third Reading debate of the Budget 2023 on Thursday, the President said that a Parliamentary Select Committee will be set up on a resolution moved by Parliament to look into those who led the economy to bankruptcy with their incorrect fiscal policies.
President Wickremesinghe said, “Some members discussed the Mahaweli lands. The lands of the state were under the Land Commissioner until 1977. Due to rapid development, some of the urban and rural lands were brought under the Urban Development Authority, Mahaweli Authority, and several other corporations. But now, no one knows as to where those lands are or what they are doing with them.
He said, “Hence, the Government is concerned to find out as to where the Government lands are, and to whom they have been given. “I was the one who initiated the draft of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) Act. The powers are vested on the Minister and the Cabinet. I don’t know why the PUCSL Chairman misleads the people. I have got to meet this Chairman as I have received several complaints against him and his statements.
He says that he does not allow increasing the electricity tariffs. He has not been vested with any power in that connection. How could the country run the economy, if we can’t increase the electricity tariff? The said chairman is the Chairman of the Trillium Group too. He is the one who buys the highest amount of electricity.”
The third reading of Budget 2023 was passed in Parliament on Thursday with a majority of 43 votes. One hundred twenty three MPs voted in favour and 80 MPs against Budget 2023 while two MPs abstained from voting.
The Chief Opposition Whip MP Lakshman Kiriella called for the vote and Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena said that the Budget was passed with amendments during the Committee Stage.
Independent MPs who voted in favour of the Budget 2023 included Piyankara Jayarathne, Sudarshini Fernandopulle and Duminda Dissanayake. MP H. Nandasena was absent during the voting due to illness. Thamil Makkal Thesiya Kuttani MP C.V. Wigneswaran and Samagi Jana Balawegaya MP Velu Kumar abstained from voting.
Independent MPs who did not come for the voting included Jayarathna Herath, Maithripala Sirisena, Nimal Piyathissa, Uddika Premaratne, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, H.M.M. Haris. Samagi Jana Balawegaya MPs Kumara Welagama and Kavinda Heshan Jayawardena did not come for the voting as well.
The absent MPs in the Opposition also included TNA MPs R. Sampanthan, A. Adekkalanadan, K. Karunakaran, D. Siddharthan, S. Noharadalingam, S. Sritharan, M.A. Sumanthiran, Charles Nirmalanadan, R. Rasamanikkam and T. Kalai Arasan.
Should work together
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said that everyone should work together to protect people from the extreme poverty they are going through. Premadasa said that as per the World Bank reports, 25 percent of the country’s population fell victim to poverty during the course of this year.
The Opposition Leader said that this is due to the shortsighted economic decisions taken by the Government. Premadasa was speaking during the last day of the Committee Stage debate on the 2023 Budget proposal on Thursday.
He said, “According to the Peradeniya University Economics Department, poverty-stricken people will increase from 3.6 million to 9.6 million due to this economic crisis.
Our country is now suffering from income poverty, consumption poverty, savings poverty and investment poverty. So it is understandable our country is gravely affected by poverty.
“According to the Family Health Bureau, 43.4 percent of children below the age of five are suffering from malnutrition. Even though the Covid-19 pandemic is considered as a cause, it is actually the wrong economic policy decisions that have led the country to this crisis.”
Fourth anniversary
Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) National Organiser and former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa said that the time is appropriate for elections in the country.
Speaking at the fourth-anniversary celebrations of the SLPP media centre on Monday, Rajapaksa was grateful to the masses who supported the SLPP to secure victories at the recent elections and apologised for not being able to meet the expectations of the people in its entirety.
However, he said that the setbacks will be addressed, and steps will be taken to provide solutions. Rajapaksa said that he will continue to remain in politics, though he is now not eligible to be part of the government or Parliament through the adoption of the 21st Amendment to the Constitution.
He said he is happy not having to enter Parliament again and commended the work undertaken by President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Govt misleading the public
National People’s Power leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake told Parliament on Thursday that the Government is misleading the public by trying to imply that the economic crisis is gradually lessening.
Joining the last day of the Committee Stage debate on the 2023 Budget Proposals, Dissanayake said, “I remember when the country was moving towards the crisis, the previous Finance Minister said that the Government has as much dollars as it needs. He even said that he is going to keep the rupee from floating. He said he will increase the foreign reserve to US$ 3 billion.
“He kept covering up the real situation of the country. The Minister who spoke before me said now there is no gas or fuel shortage. Since we don’t meet our debts, we have some US$ 3.2 billion in our hand. Our foreign reserves should increase. That has not happened either. The foreign reserve has gone up only by US$ 100 million. That is a very small amount compared to the amount of debt we are not meeting. If we paid our debts, we won’t have gas, fuel and milk powder. In March, it was while paying our debts that we had to face these shortages. Now, we don’t pay our debts, but still we face numerous shortages,” Dissanayake said.
“Govt repaying debt”
State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya in reply said the Government is paying some of the debt even when facing a difficult situation such as this. Dissanayake said that the amount of debt met by the Government is a small amount. He alleged that the Government is trying to cover up the true situation of the country.
UNP Chairman MP Wajira Abeywardena said all political parties and groups should come to a national agreement to make Sri Lanka economically strong at this critical juncture.
He told the media at the Party Headquarters, Sirikotha, Pitakotte the failure to achieve that National Agreement could lead to disaster. Abeywardena said “It is also the intention of President Ranil Wickremesinghe to achieve such an agreement through the Budget 2023. We have achieved so many things together in the past and we will lose as a nation if we remain divided.”
He said, “Throughout the past 75 years, we have lost many national leaders. We should join hands to change this trend. This is why the President is inviting everyone to come to a National Agreement.”
“SJB members will lose their seats”
State Minister of Tourism Diana Gamage on Thursday inquired whether the MPs of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) who questioned her citizenship are legally entitled to be SJB Members of Parliament. She said, “If I am removed from Parliament, 54 SJB Members will lose their MP posts”.
State Minister Gamage said, “If I did not set up ‘Ape Jathika Peramuna’, the party called SJB would not be in existence today. The case pertaining to my citizenship is being heard in Court now and I urge you to consider your own MPS posts instead of dragging this case. I heard that SJB is going to celebrate its second anniversary. I would like to tell you it is not an SJB, but rather ‘Ape Jathika Peramuna’ which is 17 years old. The SJB and the posts held by various people are totally illegal. I request you not to make false accusations and protect all your positions in the SJB as I will initiate legal actions shortly in this regard.”
Verbal abuse
Deputy Speaker Ajith Rajapaksa said an inquiry will be carried out regarding the incident of verbal abuse directed by SJB Parliamentarian Nalin Bandara Jayamaha against State Minister of Tourism Diana Gamage in Parliament on Thursday (8). The Deputy Speaker said that he will inform the Speaker regarding the concerns raised by the MPs in the House on Friday (9) and he would take action regarding the incident.
The Deputy Speaker made these comments when several MPs raised the matter in Parliament on Friday. Government MP Kokila Gunawardena commenting on the matter questioned how females would be encouraged to come into politics when abuse takes place in the House itself.
She said that Opposition MP Rohini Kavirathna too faced a similar situation, thus swift action should be taken against such abuse.
MP Gunawardena said. “I thought MP Kavirathna would speak against this incident but I think she left early. So, I am raising concerns. We should speak for all, not only when something happens to us. Please make an inquiry and take necessary action soon. When women are victimised, don’t try to blame it on her.”
Chief Opposition Whip MP Lakshaman Kiriella said the MPs who criticise MP Nalin Bandara should explain which Standing Order he violated when making the said remarks. SJB MP Chaminda Wijesiri said that Diana Gamage violated the Standing Orders and levelled baseless allegations against MPs.
State Minister of Defence Pramitha Bandara Tennakoon who commented on the same matter, said that nobody spoke when female MPs’ houses were set on fire during the May 9 incident. “When something happens to the Opposition female MPs, everyone makes a big fuss. However, there were several female MPs such as Kokila Gunawardena, Dr. Seetha Arambepola, Geetha Kumarasinghe whose houses were attacked, but no one spoke about it.”
MP Rohini Kavirathna speaking on the matter said that as a woman, she is deeply saddened by the incident that MP Diana Gamage had to undergo. MP Kavirathna said that if appropriate actions were taken when she was similarly abused, an incident like this would not have taken place.
“Will stabilise the country”
Former Minister Navin Dissanayake said that President Ranil Wickremesinghe presented proposals based on a specific macro-economic scenario to stabilise the country through the Budget.
At a press conference at the UNP headquarters, ‘Sirikotha’ on Wednesday, Dissanayake said that the President has presented a very clear vision through this Budget. He said, “At present, the economy has improved to some extent from where it was. On the one hand, at a time when he is performing his role properly as the Finance Minister, the Opposition has still failed to consistently express their opinion regarding the Budget.”
Dissanayake said through the upcoming Budget, we have the ability to implement subsidised work programs for people who are at the lower poverty level.
50th anniversary
A group of lawyers organised a ceremony to mark the 50-year political career of President Ranil Wickremesinghe. UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene had also attended the ceremony.
Then a group of lawyers who approached Wijewardene had made a complaint to him. One UNP lawyer had said, “Now we can’t approach the President. Look at all those who are now close to the President. They were totally against him those days.”
Then Wijewardene replied, “Yes. That is the biggest victory. The majority of those who approached the President had attempted to take selfies with him. The President also went to a large number of lawyers at the reception hall and exchanged pleasantries with them.
The President also met a group of lawyers who were at the ‘Aragalaya’ as well. A SLPP lawyer said, “Our friends are here. Then the President said it is very good. Now we all have to get together and commence a struggle to rebuild the economy.”
SJBers meet President
When the Committee Stage debate of the Budget 2023 was going on, a few SJB Parliamentarians were always seen coming into the President’s parliamentary office. The significance was that those SJB MPs didn’t forget to meet the President and talk to him.
Some SJB Kurunegala and Gampaha district Parliamentarians were always seen at the President’s office. The notable feature was three to four SJB MPs who vehemently criticise the President and the Government were among them.
“Not divided”
The Third Reading of the Budget 2023 was held in Parliament on Thursday. Chief Government Whip Minister Prasanna Ranatunga launched an operation nearly one month ago to pass the Budget by a vast majority. He recently said, “The Opposition thinks the Government MPs are divided. So, we should show the Opposition and the country that we are not divided.”
Minister Ranatunga continuously has discussions with Government lawmakers. However, he also had chats with Opposition MPs who met him during the Budget debate. He told a group of Opposition MPs on Thursday evening “Tell your boss to do politics during the time of elections. Now we all should join hands and do something. Otherwise, the country will be in disaster.”
Coordinated program
The World Bank (WB), Asian Development Bank (ADB), International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) representatives decided that a coordinated assistance program supported by the multilateral financial institutions is required for Sri Lanka to recover from the economic crisis the country is facing.
They reached the agreement following a lengthy round table discussion held on Tuesday with President Ranil Wickremesinghe in Colombo where the latter presented Sri Lanka’s development program associated with the economic recovery and growth along with the vision for long term development.
The President presented the program at the round table discussion in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilisation and National Policies. Following the detailed discussion, it was agreed that a coordinated assistance program supported by the multilateral financial institutions is vital for Sri Lanka to recover from the present economic difficulties.