Parliament

Nobody can prevent us from making sri lanka the wonder of Asia- dpty minister

Sandasen MARASINGHE and Irangika RANGE

Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa presided when Parliament met at 1 p.m. After presentation of papers and oral questions, the house took up the adjournment motion moved by UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake for debate.

Ravi Karunanayake (UNP): The country's economic sector has collapsed due to the financial mismanagement of the government. There is no law and order. Corruption and malpractices are rampant. The national income is not sufficient to pay back loans and interests.

While the ordinary people are deprived of their basic facilities, salaries of ministers have been increased. People face severe hardships. The cost of living has increased causing massive inconvenience to the public. The budget deficit has shot up. Instead of providing relief to the people, the government misappropriates public funds to maintain loss incurring enterprises such as Mihin Lanka, and construction of harbours like Hambantota where ships do not arrive. The government is currently engaged in obtaining foreign loans at high interest rates to cover up its losses. Ultimately, the people have to carry the burdens.

Eran Wickramaratne (UNP): I second the motion moved by UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake. The corruption taking place in the share market is high as is the corruption across the country. The promises made to the people have been dishonoured. It is the responsibility of the government to create good governance. Why is action not taken against culprits responsible for bribery and corruption? The Bribery Commission should be responsible to Parliament and not to the executive.

It is necessary to maintain transparency and accountability on cases handled by the Bribery and Corruption Commission. The government should take necessary steps to appoint independent professionals to handle cases related to bribery and corruption. We need to make people aware on taking actions against the bribery and corruptions.

Dr. Sarath Amunugama (International Monetory Co-operation Senior Minister) The worst corruptiontook place during the UNP regime. The UNP was labelled as a most corrupt government in history, that is the reason why the people rallied around the UPFA government.

Many UNP members were acquitted for bribery and corruption during its regime. Hundreds of reports related to corruption by UNP members were presented to Parliament then. Today the UNP has forgotten the past.

Today everybody accepts the country has achieved an economic growth rate of eight percent despite the negative impacts of terrorism and global economic crisis. Today we experience a massive development all over the country. The economy is stable now. Unemployment rate has reduced, fundamental facilities have been provided to the ordinary people. Their livelihood has improved.

We are operating today in a difficult situation. Greece is going for an election. Sometimes they would go away from the European Union which will affect their stability. It would have an effect on us as well.

As a government we stand against corruption. Do you see, we have removed the Director Board and Chairman of NSB. We have, as a government, taken the most stern action against them.

The government is heading along the proper track.

Anura Kumara Dissanayake (DNA): When I listened to Sarath Amunugama I thought he was talking about people of another country.

Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkody takes the Chair.

Today the people are facing serious economic difficulties. You draw a rosy picture about economic development, and the inflation rate in the country. But the benefits of the development do not pass to the grassroots level. Youth are suffering from unemployment. A report revealed 120 attempts at suicide daily and 12 of them were successful. This is the situation in the country.

When the country earns 100 they pay 89 for loans. What country is this?

Agriculture Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena: The speeches of the Opposition members are not relevant to the matter they debate in the Adjournment Motion. They misleadingly said allowances of Ministers were increased.

The President in 2011 gave us targets to increase seed production, cultivation etc. But some of these farms did not have roads or water. Now we are improving the infrastructure and other areas. We are reaching the targets. By selling the seeds we earn a profit.

A H M Azwer takes the Chair.

Due to many reasons such as floods and drought production was affected. We could settle the losses with allocations from the government. The objective of all these programmes is to contribute positively for the economic development.

Because of these projects we are self sufficient in rice and maize. This is the result of a long term plan.

Dr Harsha de Silva (UNP): I agree that the members deviated from the topic. We always talk about the loan burden. But we have to think from where to take loans or as to whether a document should be submitted to Parliament.

We have borrowed billions of dollars. But before the loans were taken they were not discussed in Parliament. But I think these matters should be debated as their effects will be felt in the future.

There is a dialogue about the Employees' Trust Fund now. We too are involved in it. But the law should be applicable equally.

Construction, Engineering Housing and Common Amenities Deputy Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna: We have in history passed a large number of supplementary estimates. With the supplementary estimates people are not faced with an extra burden. Even in the future such supplementary estimates need to be passed. It will not affect the economy.

It is not because of the government's mismanagement that a supplementary estimate is presented.

The Opposition spoke of corruption. But the government allowed even the Cricket Board to be brought before the COPE Committee. Any government could have defects. Every one has flaws. We need to correct them. Today Rosy Senanayake said only 53 percent passed Maths at the Ordinary Level. But during the UNP regime, only 17 percent could pass Maths at the Ordinary Level. But she did not mention it. She attempted to create a different picture. The people know it. That's the reason why they voted the government at the elections. Nobody can prevent us making this country the Wonder of Asia.

Dayasiri Jayasekera (UNP): Where the EPF is concerned, around Rs 53 billion should be remitted, but only Rs 2.5 billion has been remitted. So where are the great economists in the Central Bank. That is why we question them. Because of the fact that we question them, the economy would not collapse.

The NSB issue was questioned by us and the government had to take action against them. But have you taken legal action against them?

Petroleum Resources Minister Susil Premajayantha: Per capita income increased from US $ 1,141 to US $ 2,836 last year. Export earnings have also increased.

It seems our economy is moving forward. The share market went up to unprecedented heights after the dawn of peace.

The confidence of investors was high and many new factories commenced across the country. This resulted in decreasing the unemployment rate. Sri Lanka is the only country which provides electricity to the people for 24 hours. A 24-hour electricity facility is not provided in many countries, even India or Pakistan. The Ceylon Transport Board which operated successfully under the former Prime Minister S W R D Bandaranaike collapsed with the introduction of the liberal economy in 1977. We never sold public assets and never sent a single employee home.

Lakshman Kiriella (UNP): Even though the prices of consumer items have increased, the income of the people has not enhanced. Although expenses increased the household income remained the same. The national income of the country is not sufficient to cover the loans and interest.

Therefore, Sri Lanka can be called a bankrupt country. Many factories have closed down. People have lost their jobs. Farmers are unable to sell their paddy. The government has not put forward a proper mechanism to purchase the farmers' paddy.

Finance and Planning Deputy Minister Geethanjana Gunawardene: We have very cordial diplomatic relations with China. During the regime of former Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike, these relations were strengthened.

Diplomatic relations between China and Sri Lanka were further strengthened under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The Opposition has a Chinese phobia today. They are critical and jealous about the aid provided by the Chinese government.

We maintain good relationships with all other countries as well.

Telecommunication and Information Technology Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitya: Even the member Ravi Karunanayake who moved this Adjournment Motion is not in the House to listen to the reply speech.

However they say that the Advance Accounts was a burden to the people. It is a baseless allegation. The Opposition's argument is because of the variation in the Advance Account a burden is placed on the public. But an Advance Account needed a variation with limits, otherwise the burden would be on the people. So their adjournment motion does not have a base. We have given an opportunity for the Agriculture ministry to produce seeds within limits.

The Opposition said due to this Advance Account expenditure has increased excessively.

The reality is that we have reduced the expenditure within the limits. On the other hand we have increased the income.

We as a government always has taken best measures to bring benefits to the people. Is that a flaw that the Opposition finds in us? We have never concealed how the money is spent. We have submitted everything to Parliament. I request Opposition member who moved this motion to study these documents.

The EPF can be invested, profits are divided among the members. That is why they got 12.5 percent and 11.5 percent interest in 2010 and 2011 respectively. As the Opposition says when the EPF money is invested in the stock market, the shares are not sold at a time the share price drops. We request the Opposition not to scare thee members unnecessarily.

The Opposition said there is no media freedom. But in 2005 there was only 90 print media and that number is 167 today.

The House was adjourned until 1.30 pm today.

No nude beaches in SL - deputy minister

There are no plans to set up nude beaches in any part of Sri Lanka, Economic Development Deputy Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena told Parliament yesterday.

“We don't have any nude beaches in Sri Lanka and neither has the government considered opening such beaches or held discussions in this connection,” Minister Abeywardena said in response to a question raised by UNP MP Dayasiri Jayasekera.

The UNP MP said he had documentary evidence that discussions were held to set up a nude beach in the Kalutara Calido beach, based on which he had raised the question. S and I

Elephant conservation centres will minimise deaths

Agrarian Services and Wildlife Minister S M Chandrasena said in Parliament yesterday the deaths of humans and elephants in human-elephant conflicts have been controlled due to measures taken by the government.

He said the government is constructing two elephant conservation centres at Horowpothana and Veheragala to protect the elephants, and another two centres will be set up at Galgamuwa and Maduru Oya areas. The Minister said with the construction of these two centres, the government hopes to further reduce human-elephant conflicts. He said the government increased the allocations for elephant conservation from Rs 3.4 million to Rs 300 million from 2005 to 2010, and added that Rs 11.2 million, Rs 15.2 million, Rs 125 million and Rs 300 million were allocated in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 respectively.

He said the government could construct a 164.2 km long elephant fence and improve their water and food resources. Minister Chandrasena said there are 5,879 elephants according to the 2011 census. He was making these observations in response to a question raised by UNP MP Sajith Premadasa.

SL earns $1.1 m from foreign students - S B

Higher Education Minister S.B. Dissanayake said in Parliament yesterday that Sri Lanka can earn USD 1.1 million from foreign students admitted to Sri Lankan universities to follow degree courses.

He said students from 26 countries have been admitted to Sri Lankan universities. He made these observations in response to a question raised by UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake.

Minister Dissanayake said by no means would opportunities for local students to enter universities be limited as a result of paving the way for foreign students. Each year the chances for local students to enter university were increased and this year too it will be increased, he said.

There are programmes to uplift the standard of Sri Lankan universities to international level, the Minister said.

Private universities with be set up on condition that 20 percent of opportunities are given for local students, he said.

Minister Dissanayake said the programme to grant scholarships to foreign students will popularize our universities among them.