PARLIAMEMENT

Two Bills of great importance to public servants - Minister WDJ Seneviratne

Irangika RANGE, Sandasen MARASINGHE and Disna MUDALIGE

Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa presided when Parliament met at 1 p.m. yesterday. After these presentation of papers and oral questions Parliament took up the Widows’ and Orphans’ Pension Fund (Amendment) Bill and Widowers and Orphans’ Pension (Amendment) Bill for debate.

WDJ Senaviratne (Public Administration and House Affairs Minister): The pension is given to all Governments servants, members of Three Forces, Police, Additional Secretaries, Private Secretaries of Parliamentarians etc.

The two Bills debated today are of great importance to public servants.

This benefit will be granted to widows and their children.

Until 1983 this benefit was only granted to male public servants.

But from 1983 onwards this benefit was granted to females which resulted in an increasing number of females joining the public sector.

Our Government could grant these benefits to the members of the Three Forces. In addition, the Widows’ and Orphans’ Pension is granted with arrears of the spouses whose husbands and wives are in the volunteer forces died since 1981.

Today I would like to propose that the Widows’, widowers’ and orphans’ pension should be calculated based on the salary when that public servant died and also the increments should be granted even after death.

Another benefit granted through this amendment is that both male and female orphans should be given the pension of their mother or father until they reach the age 26 years.

Another benefit suggested through this amendment is that if the wife whose husband is dead should be given 50 percent of the pension if she remarries.

Earlier, the law was that although the wife had the right to the full pension if she remarried she would be deprived of the pension.

This move was taken based on the young wives of Three Forces and Police personnel who sacrificed their lives for the country in the fight against terrorism. Although those wives are young they are unable to remarry as they would not be entitled to a pension.

Karu Jayasuriya (UNP): This move is a long awaited one. It is very important that these two amendment Bills were brought today. These amendments will solve problems of most of the widows, widowers and orphans who had the right to the pension of their spouses and parents.

Deputy Chairman of Committee Priyankara Jayaratne takes the Chair.

Lalith Dissanayake (UPFA): These Amendment Bills are another positive move made by this Government to grant relief to public servants.

Through these amendments, not only the widows, widowers and orphans of the permanent cadre but also those of on contract basis will be granted a pension.

Another very important decision in that the suggestion to grant a pension to those widows, widowers and orphans of the public servants who have completed five years before they died.

A. Vinayagamoorthy (TNA): The TNA fully support these amendments. But why can’t the Government continue to pay the pension for female orphans even after 26 years. Why can’t the Government take measures to allow the pensioners to draw their pension from any bank rather than allowing them to draw it from the People’s Bank at Queen’s Street.

Public Administration and Home Affairs Deputy Minister Dilan Perera: The circular is amended now. Pensioners can draw their money from any Government Bank so there is no such issue.

Social Services Minister Felix Perera: We have to thank this Government for making arrangements to pay half a pension for the wives of the Government servants after they remarry. This will make way for the young widowers of the Security Forces to remarry if they wish.

I think that the suggestion to pay the pension to widows, widowers and orphans with the relevant increments even after a public servants’ death until they reach 55 years. But earlier the pension was calculated based on the salary when the public servant died.

About 600 Policemen were killed at once, making 600 widows at once. So it was the condition of the country at that time. The President was able to end this war.

Now, the US has planned to raise the age limit of those eligible to obtain the pension. They have been unable to bear the burden, and they are trying to limit it. But we have extended the benefits of it.

The support of all the people must be given to suppress the illtreatment that our President is subjected to, today by the UN.

Therefore, whatever the stance Wimal Weerawanse takes, we must also support it.

Joseph Micheal Perera (UNP):

We give our complete support for these two amendments.

But I would like to receive clarifications over some points. There are some unclear facts in the 2nd statement of the 1st section.

The Bill is excellent and we have no objection to mention. We appreciate it highly and we are proud of it.

Some who obtain the pension get only Rs.6000. But some teachers who receive the pension newly get about Rs.20,000. This anomaly should be corrected. Otherthan that, all the suggestions presented by it are very good.

Labourers who contribute to the development of the country must be encouraged to invest. They can be given hand to obtain a land. The Presidential Secretariat Fund should be able to bear the responsibility for a heart surgery than giving only a proportion of that amount.

Sriyani Wijewickrama (UPFA): As a woman I see that mostly these two amendments provide security to the women.

According to the statistics there are 549,594 widows and widowers out of them 471,429 are women. The pathetic situation is that 40,000 young women were rendered widow due to the 30 years terrorist war.

Those wives of the deceased personnel of the Security Forces and Police could not remarry although some wished to do so as the passion of her husband would stop.

That is not justful so this new amendment is a correct measure taken by this Government.

R Yogarajah (UNP): We are very happy that these amendments were introduced. They were brought to eradicate certain shortages of the pension laws that existed and affected the wives or the spouses of the deceased public servants.

That is appreciable. But I like draw your attention to a suggestion. That the earlier laws punished a woman if they remarried after the husbands death.

That problem has been done away with giving the wife half of the salary. But I suggest that if the other half could be given to the children of the first marriage it will be helpful for family harmony.

W.D.J. Seneviratne (Public Administration and Home Affairs Minister): It is done. The other half of the salary goes to the children of the first marriage.

R. Yogarajah (UNP): That’s great.

A. H. M. Azwer (UPFA): Today we are speaking of widows, widowers and orphans’ pension. We thank Minister John Seneviratne for presenting the amendment. This is a sharing and caring Government. The Government will not allow Ban Ki-moon and others to intervene in internal matters. The Government has the capacity to solve problems.

For cases in Courts, many people in remote areas have to come to Colombo. The administrative system is the reason for that.

Victor Anthony (UPFA): This is a Bill that the Government and Opposition admire equally. This is an honour for retired employees as well as for those who wish to retire.

Orphans and widows benefitted equally through this Bill. There is a humanitarian aspect of this Bill. In the State sector, problems in the pension scheme have become prominent. This amendment will provide solutions for these problems. We congratulate Government employees for the achievement. When an employee retires, dependants of his get the pension. This is a great relief for children as well as wives.

Ajith P. Perera (UNP): Ombudsman’s pension has been increased. This fact was less discussed. We have a doubt whether Ombudsman’s duty is being carried out properly. This position is detached from the public. One has to wait a long period to get a relief. It has become an inactive position.

We are very happy that this amendment was presented today. We give our support in the future for this kind of proposals.

Sudarshini Fernandopulle (UPFA): A lot of women like me became widows due to the war. This act strengthens the widows who are facing miserable conditions. This Bill also strengthens the State sector. The number of widows are higher than that of widowers. They need a helping hand to face their challenges. Even the number of orphans have increased.

Even the plantation sector has a large number of widows. A program to look after them should be introduced. The same is with the women who go abroad seeking employment and women who are engaged in the apparel industry.

Some students abandon school education early, since they are unable to carry on it. These students must be given necessary facilities.

A.H.M. Azwar takes the Chair.

Sajith Premadasa (UNP):This has proposed positive changes and solutions for the problems in this field. We must thank officials for presenting this amendment.

I request the Government to conduct a census in the country regarding widows.

The family units based on widows are isolated in society. A program should be initiated for them.

Public Administration and Home Affairs Deputy Minister Dilan Perera: We could observe a harmonious view regarding this amendment on both the sides.

The Government intervened to give security and care for those who really need it. As a policy, the Government takes the responsibility of the people who should be taken care of. The widows and orphans are a special segment in the country.

Dilan Perera continues! The retiring age of the public servants in many countries have been increased. In Sri Lanka, it should be increased since the current retiring age is too young.

H.M.M. Haris (UNP): The Government must provide reliefs and assistance to widows, widowers and orphans affected by the war.

The Government should provide them self employment opportunities and investment opportunities. Most of orphanages are not operational properly. They should be provided required facilities.

The tsunami affected people in Kalmunai have provided new houses. We appreciate this effort of the Government.

Sri Ranga (UNP): Though the majority of the population is women in the country only a limited numbers of women are in high posts.

This situation should be changed and women must come forward. There are 35,000 widows in Batticaloa and they deprived of facilities. The Government should look into this matter.

Public Administration and Home Affairs Minister John Seneviratne I appreciate views presented by the Government and opposition sides. We must get together and should take comprehensive decisions for the well being and welfare of the people.

The Government has taken a number of actions for the benefit of pensioners.

The Widows and Orphans pension. Fund (Amendment) Bill and The Widowers and Orphans Pension (Amendment) Bill were passed with amendments.

Irrigation and Water Resources Management Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva: I present statistics to Parliament and these prove misleading figures presented by Ravi Karunanayake. We accept that there is a delay of one month in making these lists. But we will present it within the next month. We took measures to delete multiple registrations. They are illegal voters. In that way, we found 51,538 and deleted them. This explains how the number of voters in Colombo decreased. Another reason to decrease the number of registered voters is the disappointment of the people who supported the UNP in Colombo. People had no interest to apply for their voting right. The UNP without giving misleading information, should try to amend their party policies.

The people have no interest to vote. They think it is useless due to computer jillmarts. We must secure the independence of voting.

Sri Ranga (UNP): Many were deprived their voting right and when inquired referred to 2008 lists.

Population is increasing and the registered number of voters should increase. The Government should book into this and find out where the fault lies.

APRC report tabling bid thwarted

Irangika RANGE, Sandasen MARASINGHE and Disna MUDALIGE

An attempt by UNP national list MP R. Yogarajan to table the report of the All Party Representative Committee (APRC) was thwarted in Parliament yesterday after Government members opposed it on the ground that he had no authority to do so. Government MP A.H.M. Azwar said MP Yogarajan had no authority to table the report without the approval of its Chairman Minister Prof Tissa Vitharana.

Chief Government Whip Water Supply and Drainage Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and Minister Muthu Sivalingam too supported MP Azwar’s position that a member of committee could not table a report in Parliament.

Minister Gunawardena said all members of the APRC need to sign the report before it is submitted to the House.

Deputy Chairman of Committees Murugesu Chandrakumar who was at the Chair said he would look into the validity of the move and decide later to allow it to be taken.

MP Yogarajan said that document carried his signature thus, he should be allowed to table it.

Minister Muthu Sivalingam said MP Yogarajan was representing the CWC when the latter had signed the document, but no longer in the CWC, therefore has no right to table it.

At adjournment

Thousands of UNPers frustrated

Leader of the House and Irrigation and Water Management Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said thousands of Colombo based UNP supporters are frustrated and disgusted of the ongoing crisis and consecutive losses of the party in 18 elections. They do not register themselves in electoral lists and this had resulted in the decrease of the number of voters in the Colombo district in the electoral list.

Moving the adjournment motion, UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake said the population of the country keeps increasing every year. The election list which is updated every year on July 1 should show a corresponding increase.

Jayalath Jayawardena (UNP): The motion moved by MP Ravi Karunanayake is a timely need. We as MPs must realize our duties and responsibilities to the people. Voters in each district are increasing due to the increasing population. We must ensure the voting rights of the people.

Rs 87 m for flood victims

Irangika Range, Sandasen Marasinghe and Disna Mudalige

Disaster Management Minister A.H.M. Fowzie told Parliament yesterday the Government has allocated Rs 87 million for the benefit of flood victims.

He said 16,685 persons from 4,516 families in Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Galle, Puttalam, Ratnapura, Matara and Kurunegala Districts were displaced as a result of recent floods.

Meanwhile. 983 houses were fully damaged while 3,662 houses were partially damaged in these eight districts.

The Minister said the Government has provided Rs 56 million for flood victims to build and reconstruct damaged houses. Rs 53 million will also be released for the rest of the flood victims.

Rs 87 m for flood victims

Irangika Range, Sandasen Marasinghe and Disna Mudalige

Disaster Management Minister A.H.M. Fowzie told Parliament yesterday the Government has allocated Rs 87 million for the benefit of flood victims.

He said 16,685 persons from 4,516 families in Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Galle, Puttalam, Ratnapura, Matara and Kurunegala Districts were displaced as a result of recent floods.

Meanwhile. 983 houses were fully damaged while 3,662 houses were partially damaged in these eight districts.

The Minister said the Government has provided Rs 56 million for flood victims to build and reconstruct damaged houses. Rs 53 million will also be released for the rest of the flood victims.

New salary structure for university academic staff - Minister SB Dissanayake

Irangika Range, Sandasen Marasinghe and Disna Mudalige

Higher Education Minister SB Dissanayake said in Parliament yesterday the Government has drawn up a new salary structure for university academic staff members which would place their upper limit salary at Rs 200,000 and lower limit salary at Rs 72,000 per month.

The Minister said this in response to a question raised by DNA MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake who asked the Government to take measures to amend the salary scales of the academic staff members in Universities.

Minister Dissanayake further said that low salaries were causing a brain drain.

He admitted that the country was losing its valuable human resources to foreign countries which pay seven to eight times more than in Sri Lanka for academics.

We have great difficulty in retaining academics in Sri Lanka. I must salute those who choose to remain here despite the shortcomings,” the Minister said.

Presently, the maximum salary of an academic is Rs 57,755 while that of a probationary lecturer is Rs 20,750.

He further said that whenever the salaries of academics are increased, non-academics in the universities resort to trade union actions demanding that their salaries too be increased and vice versa. This situation must end, the Minister said adding that a clear line of distinction must be drawn between the two professions. The Minister was responding to a special statement made by JVP MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake on several problems faced by university lecturers.