Vote on Account justified - Ronnie

Siri WAWWAGE

Former Finance Minister Ronnie de Mel, commenting on the Government's presentation of a Vote on Account instead of a Budget said the Opposition's agitation over this was mere sound and fury and nothing else.

This is a democratic way of a people-friendly Government especially in the hight of a forthcoming General Election, he said.

Presenting a Budget when there is a general election in a few months time will greatly inconvenience parliament to be elected. That is highly unjustified, Ronnie de Mel said.

Many countries in the world follow this practice when a general election is in the offing. Former Finance Ministers namely J. R. Jayawardene, Dr. N. M. Perera and even I have done this in the past, he said.

This is the most practicable and reasonable approach on the eve of a general election, he said.