It was a crucial decision the Party Leaders were compelled to take for the well-being of the society at a time the country is facing an economic crunch due to the prevailing global situation. The debt trap laid by the previous regime due to haphazard handling of the country's finances is yet another reason for the cash strapped administration to drop the proposal to increase the emoluments of Parliamentarians.
May be temporarily until the economy rebounds, people may think that sanity prevailed among more matured parliamentarians to forego the sharp rise in allowances proposed to cushion rising costs in the day-to-day affairs.
Taking a step or two back, could be described as strategic moves in the face of a looming economic downturn which is a global phenomenon where Sri Lanka could not be isolated. Wisdom prevailed as the Party Leaders who met just hours before the Cabinet meeting decided not to submit their previously agreed proposals to increase the emoluments of MPs for Cabinet approval.
In more ways than one, it was a sensible decision taken, mostly thinking of the perilous situation the country was in and the vehement pressure exerted by the civil society groups. The moment the news of the proposed allowances was leaked two weeks back, it raised many eyebrows and earned flak from many sections of the society, given its poor timing and the burden on the public purse.
Bonanza for MPs
Ironically, the agreement to raise the allowances of MPs was made by the House Committee on the same day Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe made a special statement in Parliament urging for a joint will of all to strive together to save the country from what he called a "debt trap".
The Party Leaders, who met a day after the Premier's speech, discussed in favour of proposed bonanza for MPs turning a blind eye on the fact that the general public had been burdened with more tax and spiralling cost of living. Needless to say, this move of the MPs to serve themselves with a larger spoon at the cost of tax payers' money antagonized the citizenry and made them react accordingly. Given the negative public perception associated with the majority of contemporary politicians in the country, one could hardly expect a different reaction, but at the same time, it was also unfair by a few who could still claim the moral high ground as cleaned and principled politicians.
Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, who was at the receiving end of public anger over the move, had to issue a media statement clarifying the reasons behind the move. The Speaker looking through the lens of MPs justified the proposals stating the allowances of MPs have not been amended for nine years since 2007. He pointed out the salaries and allowances received by MPs in Sri Lanka were relatively low compared to their counterparts in South Asia and other countries.
However, the Party Leaders presided by the Speaker, finally decided to withdraw most of their proposals taking a sharp cognizance of the growing public displeasure when they met again on Wednesday. Accordingly, it was decided only to go ahead with the proposal to pay a monthly allowance of Rs. 50,000 each for seven MPs who have not received quarters at the Madiwela MPs' housing complex. The proposals to pay an allowance for the MPs who participate in the meetings of the Constitutional Assembly and Sectoral Oversight Committees were also said to be put on hold.
Global economic challenges
While these decisions were being agreed upon at a closed door meeting in a Committee Room, the House was debating extensively on the current economic situation in the country based on the Prime Minister's statement in Parliament on March 8.
The one and half days' debate on the difficulties the country has faced on the fiscal front, was a positive indication that Parliament was regaining the control over public finances, ending the dark days of which Parliament acted merely as the rubber stamp approving whatever the decisions taken by the top management of the previous administration.
Giving a kick start for the debate, Chief Opposition Whip Anura Kumara Dissanayake presented what one may agree as a well-thought-out strategy to advance the country towards a healthy economy. He opined alien models of other distant lands would take the country nowhere, adding that the economists should contemplate on a unique recipe that fits best for the country.
He also cautioned Prime Minister Wickremesinghe on the need to cut loose his old friends who could bring his Government down with imprudent advices when it comes to economic and policy decisions. He claimed some close associates of the Prime Minister have no knowledge of the ground realities of the country. "They do not live in this country. They know nothing about this land or its history. They are ignorant about the life style and the real issues of the people. The economic plans they have in their heads may not work here", he said.
Making a scathing attack on the reckless economic handling of the former Government, he said the current Government has a responsibility to reveal what had happened to the money obtained through loans by the former Government. "Out of the Rs. 9.5 trillion loans obtained, at least 40 percent had been stolen, wasted or gone as commissions. This amount is not less than Rs. 4,000 billion. People should know the truth. This is a debt for which the former rulers must be accounted", he added.
The Prime Minister joining in the debate once again reiterated the global economic challenges before the country, repeating some of the remarks made in his earlier statement. Interesting enough was his comment at the outset of his speech that he never asked the general public to tighten up their belts, taking somewhat a different turn to what he previously said on swallowing bitter pills to cure the sick economy. He stressed that the village and national level development and the objectives of the Government would be accomplished despite the prevailing economic hardships.
The Prime Minister also touched on the island-wide power outage during his speech. He noted his Government was seriously looking in to the causes behind the recent power failures that crippled the day to day work and economic activities of the country. He assured Parliament that all possible measures would be taken to supply uninterrupted power and avoid a possible power crisis in the country by 2018.
Power and Renewable Energy Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya also made a lengthy statement on the recent power outages explaining on the short term and long term plans made to confront the challenges in the power sector. He also emphasised that the Government has no whatsoever plan to privatize the Ceylon Electricity Board.
Soon after the Minister's statement, MP Sisira Jayakody stood up for a point of order flashing a touch in the House while complaining that the Government has failed to address the power crisis. His action aimed at gaining cheap publicity and attention of media irritated the Speaker and the MP was reprimanded the following day by summoning him to the Speaker's office.
Right to Information Bill
Meanwhile, the Joint Opposition has once again resorted to play its old tricks of bringing No-Confidence Motions (NCMs) against the ministers to browbeat and inconvenience the Government. The first of the series of NCMs was handed over to the Speaker on Thursday against Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake. The motion contained the signatures of 37 MPs. NCMs against Land Minister John Amaratunga and Megapolis Development Minister Champika Ranawaka are also said to be in the queue.
Despite deliberate attempts to obstruct the Government's path, the Government last Thursday took a giant leap forward in the direction of good governance by presenting the long-awaited and much talked-of Right to Information Bill (RTI) in Parliament. The historic piece of legislation was presented by Parliamentary Reforms and Mass Media Minister Gayantha Karunathilake.
The introduction of RTI bill was a key election pledge of President Maithripala Sirisena and his Government. In fact the bill was due in Parliament in February last year going by the calendar of 100-day work programme. It was procrastinated given various technical and legal delays. However, the bill has now seen the light of the day and the next biggest challenge is to make it sail through Parliament safely while preserving the spirit of the legislation.
The presentation of the bill while Speaker Karu Jayasuriya in the Chair was also significant given his attempts to introduce this vital piece of legislation as a private member's motion in September 2010 and June 2011. The move was thwarted by the then Government at both the occasions.
The Speaker informed the House that the Sabaragamuwa, North Central and Northern Provincial Councils have proposed amendments to the RTI bill, while the other Provincial Councils have agreed to the Bill in the present form. MP Anura Dissanayake requested the Government to provide them with the amendments proposed by the Provincial Councils to study them altogether.
The bill, which was eagerly looked forward to by the citizenry, is aimed at providing for the right of access to information, to specify grounds on which access may be denied, to establish a Right to Information Commission, to appoint Information Officers and related matters. It will be taken up for debate at a future date.
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