Parliament

VAT drowns in verbal fire
By Dilrukshi Handunnetti, Our Lobby Correspondent
For a populace economically burdened, there was renewed hope when the UNP assumed office. But instead there was public outcry when the proposed Value Added Tax, threatened to add to their burdens. Such moments are opportune for the opposition, and when the Speaker announced that certain provisions of the VAT bill as unconstitutional, the debate was converted into a mud slinging match, with abusive language and rowdy behaviour shadowing the debate.

The rumpus was created not only over the VAT but also over the peace process which appeared to be thorny. In the aftermath of ethnic tension in the east, opposition leader Mahinda Rajapakse charged that the UNF had failed to preserve harmony in a province with a unique ethnic balance.The Giruwapattuwa member argued that for generations, all communities had lived amicably. He blamed law enforcement agencies and the monitoring mission for their inability to bring the situation under control immediately.

Trouble began when JVP's Wimal Weerawansa, demanded that the government make a statement in response. But the Speaker called upon Minister K.N. Choksy who was ready to present the debit tax bill, which got submerged in a spate of opposition accusations and insults. Amidst the rumpus up sprang the posters condemning the government for failing to maintain peace in the east and expressing solidarity with the eastern Muslims.

With Parliament being a poor imitation of the Fort railway station-a popular venue for the expression of violent emotions- Minister Rauff Hakeem's attempts to explain matters also got drowned in the slogan shouting.

Weerawansa militantly marched towards the Chair and touched the mace, and a deputy Sergeant- at -Arms was seen hurriedly restraining him. Vociferous opposition members too marched behind Weerawansa to hold placards and banners and shout themselves horse. When all attempts at peace keeping within the chambers failed, the Speaker suspended sittings.

When the House resumed, Minister Hakeem insisted that a statement be made and defence minister Tilak Marapana agreed to do so in a day or two, which finally settled the dispute. PA's Jeyaraj Fernadopulle, who mostly spoke about VAT than the debit tax bill, tore Minister Choksy's economic prudence to pieces. Fernandopulle thundered that a government that came to office on the promise of relieving the burdens of the people was leading them to death with the new tax.

" Ali thennan kotithennan- such were your pledges. Do you now know the difficulties in governance," he thundered. The JVP fire was focused on UNP spokesman Gayantha Karunathilleka, whose speech was interrupted from the very beginning. The Galle MP too sidestepped the issue to lock horns with the JVP which once again blossomed into a match of trading insults- as Karunathilleka laboriously read out names and mentioned people killed during the height of JVP insurgency.

Leader of the House W. J. M. Lokubandara by Wednesday morning had found a deterrent for the appalling behaviour that had rocked the house just the day before. Calling for party leaders' meeting to determine steps to be taken to prevent unparliamentary behaviour, he appeared amnesiac about the UNP's recent opposition days when draft constitutions were set on fire within the chambers.

With dramatic flair the minister said his heart came to his mouth when Weerawansa laid his hands on the mace. " I recalled the Parliament bombing and saw the possibilities of a re-enactment of that sordid saga," he said.

The PA's Kumara Dassanayake's argument was that the UNP had pledged to abolish taxes and relieve burdens, but now they were imposing heavier taxes. " My heart bleeds when the UNP claims that they will not relieve the public, but will privatize many government institutions. The UNP has often claimed that debt burdens can be reduced through privatization. But if this is true, why does the budget deficit increases annually," he asked.

Minister S. B. Dissanayake, fresh from his overseas visit was keen to explain the economic travails of the region. Quoting statistics he said since independence, it was only during the PA's tailend that the economy recorded a negative growth rate while the rest of the region recorded some growth.

" Why were we alone? How can you prosper when one ministry puts up a plush building for Rs. 25.8 million, with the toilet alone costing a colossal Rs. 3.9 million? Such was the extravagance that caused the downfall of a politically imprudent regime," he charged.

But the JVP's new entrant A.D. Lalkantha urged the minister to do some serious soul searching as he prodded his memory about his previous claims from PA ranks about the Sri Lankan economy being more formidable than the US one.

Thursday eve saw PA backbencher Thilina Tennakoon seeking a government assurance that Samurdhi benefits would not be further slashed. The MP complained that it was unfair that the poorer sections of the country were being denied their meager assistance just to satisfy donor countries.

Falling in line was JVP's Achala Jagoda who went a step further, towards absolute impracticality in seeking an assurance that the UNP would revoke the agreement entered into by the PA and the IMF altogether.

The subject again generated heated exchanges, with the PA defending the Samurdhi programme and its creator, minister S.B. Dissanayake declaring that the " sahanadhara manasikathwaya" should be completely done away with.

Minister Dissanayake, it seemed had done some soul-searching and was in a mood to confess. He admitted that the Samurdhi movement was politicized and many a Samurdhi officer worked for the PA, and as the opposition began to heckle him, made a tactical move to admit that he took full responsibility for all that.

The minister's stance was that doles served no purpose, and what the country required were programmes spurring development and productivity. The need was to identify the needy in the true sense and to assist them to come up in life, a proposal the donor community has fully endorsed.

The week was a volatile one and Friday morning was no different with the JVP calling for the 'tying up of UNP dogs'. The morning questions were largely about the ministers' staff and their perks. When PA's Jeyeraj Fernandopulle queried as to why officials' were paid a better fuel allowance than MPs, Leader of the House W.J.M. Lokubandara wisecracked that the allowances have been increased, but ministers' staff had been slashed.

The speaker was taxed early morning when interior minister John Amaratunga inadvertently answered the wrong question by PA's Nimal Siripala de Silva- who retorted that: ' emathithumata walige pegila'. The remark drew an angry response from the minister who thundered that the MP should watch what he said, especially given his track record, amidst uproarious laughter from government benches. As they heatedly exchanged insults, the children in the galleries stuck their necks out to catch a glimpse of their representatives ' in action'.

An angry Mr. Amaratunga sought two weeks to reply the query, and upon being coaxed by chief whip Mahinda Samarasinghe, relented and answered.

A key issue arising out of the entire episode is, whether legislators should be simply cautioned or strict action be taken against them for flouting Standing Orders to insult and abuse. The other pertinent question is, whether a senior cabinet minister can withhold information by denying the response that was made available to him? Certainly, a seasoned legislator of minister Amaratunga's stature, who diligently answers queries and is always present in the House could do much better than be a victim of his own anger.

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