Parliament

Rising COL:Lot of noise but few solutions
By Chandani Kirinde, Our Lobby Correspondent
The escalating cost of living was the main focus of debate as Parliament sittings got underway last week with many of the same allegations flying to and fro, but few new ideas on how to ease the growing strain on the pocket of the common man.

It was the UNP that turned the heat on government members mainly the JVP, saying they were already breaking their election promise to bring down the cost of living. But ruling party members blamed circumstances beyond their control-escalating world oil prices and the drought- for the state of affairs.

One of the few voices of reason was that of JHU Gampaha district MP Ven. Kolonnawa Sumangala Thera who asked both sides to stop bickering and tackle the problem of hunger that the people were facing today.

"We are an agricultural country and we can grow our own vegetables and get our own dairy products but little has been done to use our own resources," the Thera said.

As an immediate relief measure, Ven. Sumangala Thera said the government should implement price control for at least five essential items so that the people who couldn't afford even one square meal a day could find some relief.

There was agreement among some government members that the cost of living was escalating and a pay hike and some other forms of relief were necessary for those in the state sector.

Small and Rural Industries Minister K.D. Lal Kantha said there would be a pay rise in the UPFA’s maiden budget in November. He mocked the UNP for its inaction in the face of the rising cost of living saying that had they been in the Opposition they would have been on the streets protesting.

There were protests from the UNP led by Former Deputy Finance Minister Bandula Gunawardena who asked the JVP members not to commit political suicide by being a partner in the UPFA government.

"Why didn't you tell the people the truth during elections? You painted a rosy picture before you were elected, but now you are unable to fulfil those promises. We were truthful and we told the people they would need to tighten their belts for a few years before the country could reap the rewards of our economic policies," Mr. Gunawardene said.

Adding fuel to the cost of living issue were speculations that MPs and Ministers were seeking a pay rise, but Chief Government Whip Jeyaraj Fernandopulle categorically denied this going to the extent of saying their salaries would not be increased by even five cents while the people were burdened with hardships. He was supported by the Chief opposition Whip Mahinda Samarasinghe who said they too were against an increase of MPs salaries.

However there was a lone MP, CWC's V.Putrasigamani who said MPs salaries should be increased along with those of others as they too were affected by the cost of living. He scoffed at those saying they did not seek such a rise saying they weren't being truthful.

Even though a day- long adjournment debate on the COL was proposed by Gampaha district UNP MP Joseph Michael Perera, the issue came up during all the other debates during sitting days.

The UNP parliamentarian said that a government Minister was quoted as saying that they will not be able to walk on the streets if prices went up at this rate but he feared that even Opposition MPs maybe unable to do so if the escalating prices of goods and services was not controlled.

Deputy Finance Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, responding to this comment said that even if the UNP was in power, they would have been unable to control hikes in prices of fuel, electricity or other essential items. He also assured relief was on the way in the up coming budget.

Five finance bills were passed last week making them the first laws enacted by this Parliament. Meanwhile there was little excitement with the entry of CWC leader Arumugam Thondaman to the Chambers on Tuesday, his first appearance since announcing his party's support to the UPFA. With no vote taken on any of the bills passed last week, the government was denied the much anticipated opportunity to show its majority in the House since assuming power in April this year.

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