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MPs go ‘MIA’ as millions in public funds revealed to suffer similar fate
With less than two weeks to go for the Uva Provincial Council elections, the two days of Parliamentary sittings this week saw poor attendance by most legislators, as many were away, busy campaigning for their respective parties, in an election where the stakes are high for all sides. Despite the poor attendance by MPs, Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe raised concerns regarding the ability to hold a free and fair election in the UP, citing reports that the Elections Commissioner was contemplating holding the polls on two days.
“We must all make sure the polls are held on one day. If more security is needed to hold violence-free polls, this must be done,” he said.
However, Chief Government Whip, Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said that the Government has no authority to postpone elections or decide how they are held, as the sole authority in these regards is the Elections Commissioner. “We are confident a free and fair poll will be held. The Opposition has to just ready itself for the inevitable defeat it will suffer,” he said.
Nevertheless, during the few hours of sittings held on Tuesday and Wednesday, serious questions were raised about the use of public funds.
In response to a question raised by JVP MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Parliament was told that, in the past three years, salaries and allowances paid to 1,348 members of the official staff of the President’s Office, cost the State a staggering Rs 1.3 billion. Minister Dinesh Gunawardena who answered on behalf of the Government, said that the monies were approved by Parliament and were necessary expenditure to maintain the office of the President.
While more than a billion was used to pay salaries to the President’s staff, Transport Minister Kumar Welgama gave details to Parliament on the massive losses incurred by the State-run bus service, the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB). Between 2012 and 2014, the SLTB incurred losses of over Rs 4.5 billion, while the losses estimated after depreciation, during the same period, stood at over Rs 7.9 million, the Minister said in response to a question raised by UNP Colombo District MP Ravi Karunanayaka.
He also said that the SLTB is expected to lose around Rs720 million in 2015 and nearly Rs 800 million in 2016. While the transport service was incurring massive losses, its nearly 33,300 employees seemed to be relatively well off with a monthly income of Rs 80,880.85 for each. Asked for the reasons for the SLTB incurring such massive losses, the Minister said that most of the Board’s facilities had been privatised by UNP-led governments, and hence the SLTB has to rely on private sector for the maintenance of its fleet, which cost massive amounts.
Meanwhile, the Government also presented two important Bills to Parliament this week, namely the Land (Restrictions on Alienation) Bill aimed at restricting land sales to foreigners, as well as the ‘Assistance to and Protection of Victims of Crime and Witnesses’ Bill. The objectives of the Witness and Victims Protection Bill are to establish, uphold and enforce the rights and entitlements of victims of crimes and witnesses, and provide a mechanism to promote, protect, enforce and exercise such rights and entitlements.