Laws should be brought to make assets declaration of MPs public & to confiscate ill-gotten assets: Eran

Samagi Jana Balawegaya MP Eran Wickramaratne today called on the government to immediately remove the secrecy provisions that hinder the publication of the Assets and Liabilities declarations of the Parliamentarians enabling the general public to compare their present declaration with the first one which was made when they first elected to  Parliament.

Speaking in Parliament today, Mr. Wickramaratne demanded that legislation be enacted to confiscate ill -gotten foreign assets earned by members of parliament in the wake of the youth protesting at the Galle Face demanding that the assets and liabilities of all 225 parliamentarians be audited.

Speaking further Mr. Wickramaratne said that under the present context the economic crisis precedes the political crisis. "The reason for it is  the executive has thought it can rule the country with a few officials, bypassing the parliament and the cabinet while strengthening  the executive power. The best way to resolve this crisis is to abolish or reduce the executive presidency altogether. Mr. Wickremaratne stated in Parliament that the Samagi Jana Balawewa is committed to doing so. That is why an economic crisis has arisen today,"

As a country, borrowing is not a mistake and it should be considered whether it is invested in a sector that benefits the country. This government has invested in white elephant projects that bring no return to the country or the people. The previous government borrowed $ 4.5 billion, but when the government was changed in 2019, it had $ 7.6 billion in foreign reserves, he added.

"Apart from Afghanistan, Sri Lanka is the only country in Asia to have seen a decline in foreign reserves in the last two years. While the reserves of other countries increased by 30% - 35%, our reserves decreased by 80%," he said.

He urged the Minister in charge of SriLankan Airlines not to allow officials and board members of state-owned enterprises to deceive ministers, as Mr. Nivard Cabraal had misled ministers. "It is important to work together to minimize the losses at SoEs as the airline has been making losses since the privatization was canceled and taken over by the government previously,"