[PARLIAMENT]

‘Stakeholders of all sectors contributed to budget preparation’

Sandasen Marasinghe, Irangika Range and Disna Mudalige

Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa presided when Parliament met at 9.30 am yesterday. After presentation of papers and oral questions, the House took up the committee stage debate on the Appropriation Bill 2013 for the eighth allotted day.

The committee took up the finance heads of President, office of the Prime Minister, Secretariat for Special Functions (Senior Minister) Judges of the Superior Courts, office of the Cabinet of Ministers, Public Service Commission, Judicial Service Commission, National Police Commission, Administrative Appeals Tribunal, Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and corruption, office of the Finance Commission, National Education Commission, Human Rights Commission, Department of Attorney General, Department of Legal Draftsman, Parliament, Office of the Leader of the House, office of the Chief Government Whip, office of the Leader of the Opposition, Department of Elections, Auditor General and Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration for debate.

Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe: This House is vested with both judicial and legislative powers. It is necessary to protect the dignity of the Judiciary as well as judicial officers. The government still is unable to capture the culprits responsible for the attack on Manjula Thilakaratne. There should not be a conflict between the Judiciary and the Executive.

It is necessary that the Judiciary, the Executive and the Legislative to act in harmony. Otherwise, confidence and trust of the public on these institutions will erode. There are five, six cases levelled against the Chief Justice. I think that one committee would be not able to do this task alone. We are not trying to protect certain individuals. But it is necessary to ensure her rights are protected. She must be given time and space to answer the charges. Our Parliament is the oldest Parliament in South Asia. Our Supreme Court is older than Parliament. We all have to act amicably and legally to solve problems.

Irrigation and Water Resources Management Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva: Our Constitution has sufficient provisions to protect the dignity of the country. Both Parliament and Supreme Court are safeguarded by our Constitution. President Mahinda Rajapaksa is always sensitive for the needs of the people. He always listens to the grievances of the people and takes measures to solve them with immediate effect. Lengthy discussions with the people, rural and district leaders, intellectuals and experts were held in the preparation of the budget.

Rs 7,000 million has been allocated to the President from this budget. Rs 3,000 million out of the total amount will be spent for the salaries of the employees of the Presidential Secretariat, maintaining buildings and maintaining security division. Rs 800 million has been allocated to implement pilot projects while Rs 200 million and Rs 40 million have been allocated to projects of IT and Information Department respectively. Under the financial head of the President, 28 percent of the allocation has been made to the development of English, IT and trilingual skills. The Election Commission has been allocated Rs 154 million.

Under the President’s Fund, many social and welfare activities were performed. Rs. 702 million has been allocated to the medical needs of the people, while a large amount of funds has been allocated to cultural, social and religious activities.

John Amaratunga (UNP):

It is significant that the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference was held successfully in Sri Lanka this year. I would like to congratulate Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa in this regard. The conference gave pride to all of us. A large number of foreign delegates came to Sri Lanka to participate in this conference. Every participant was provided with all required facilities. They talked satisfactory manner with regard to arrangements. It is a great achievement gained by Sri Lanka.

Petroleum Resources Minister Susil Premajayantha:

A massive development drive is taking place in the North and East. We have been able to resettle over 500,000 displaced people in their original lands by September 3, this year.

The government has allocated a huge amount of money for the equipment and goods required by the resettled people. All barren lands in the North and East have been converted in to fertile lands. Today, a massive paddy harvest is being reaped from the North and East. The living conditions of the people whose lives collapsed due to terrorism for 30 years, have been improved within a short period.

Joseph Micheal Perera (UNP):

The interconnectedness between the people, Parliament, the Judiciary and the Executive is essential. Supremacy is always in the hands of the people. It is necessary for the people to get to know how the money is allocated to each and every institution.

The right of Parliament members to seek and obtain information should be included in their privileges. We should have lengthy discussions about the MPs privileges. It is the duty of government officials to provide accurate and informative answers to MP’s questions.

Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena:

The Budget 2013 aims at economic development. It has been prepared scrutinizing every aspect of development and ideas of all stakeholders in key economic areas. Today, the biggest problem of the UNP is the 1978 Constitution. It was drafted and passed by the UNP. The UNP drafted it with the intention of preventing the Opposition UPFA coming to power. After passing the Constitution in 1978, the UNP governed the country for 18 years under leadership of former Presidents of J.R. Jayewardene and R. Premadasa. During this time, we all know how the UNP misused Parliament and Judiciary to gain their political mileage. As the Opposition, we were suppressed by the UNP government during 18 years. Today, the Opposition queries about democracy and supremacy. They should ask this question from their conscience.

The Opposition has no right to talk about supremacy and democracy, since it is a party of destroying democracy and supremacy of the people.

MP A H M Azwer takes the Chair

Tiran Alles (DNA): The incumbent Opposition Leader has been allocated a huge amount of money for bearing that position. He has acted as an Opposition Leader for 16 years. It is questionable whether he has done his job.

He has failed in fulfilling his responsibilities. The people expect that the Opposition Leader raise his voice with regard to their problems. But, he never did it. He is the only leader who has lost over 20 elections.

National Languages and Social Integration Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara: A number of public petitions are being investigated by the Petition Committee. Several decisions taken by the Petition Committee during the past have not been implemented so far. It is the responsibility of ministers to implement these decisions taken by the committee.

R Yogarajan takes the Chair

The Public are used to sending their grievances to Parliament through petitions. Therefore, Ministers and officials have a duty to answer to their grievances by implementing recommendations given by the Petition Committee.

Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe: We have been working as one Opposition properly. We would not achieve only one task that the people were complaining that there was a single Opposition MP who did not speaks a single word for the past three years. We are happy that this task too had been achieved. The MPs are provided with a salary and vehicles to take up issues in Parliament. Our hands are clean and not dirty with LTTE money.

Ranjith Soysa (UPFA):

The President when he was the Prime Minister initiated Nanasala to impart IT knowledge to the youths. When we consider the murders in Kahawatta, 14 out of the 15 murders have been committed in the Rakwana seat. Some are attempting to spread various rumours. We have to thank the President and the Secretary of Defence for taking quick measures in connection with these incidents. Around 1,000 Police and security personnel are deployed in the area.

Human Resources Development Senior Minister DEW Gunasekara:

the Auditor General Department is the oldest department in the country. Its function and quality have been expanded vastly. We have to uplift its quality some more. Officers knowledge, vision, attitudes should be subjected to a positive change since it functions covering all the institutions as a net.

Pradeshiya Sabha and AGA offices do not come under the supervision of the COPE Committee. There are many more such institutions that are not inspected by the COPE. However, they should be audited to find out if the money has been utilized properly. There are about 1.4 million public servants. There should be a mechanism to uplift knowledge and quality of the service of public servants. If it does not happen, the country would face a crisis in future as sertain offices are not aware of global issues, crisis and trends in the world. There should be a mechanism to make the officers of Auditor General Department independent, and also to expose them to foreign experience. The officers of the COPE and the officers involved in that field should be encouraged as they are working hard. Earlier, those officers inspected documents only of 15 to 20 institutions. But now they are inspecting around 400 to 500 institutions.

Tissa Attanayake (UNP):

Minister DEW Gunasekara made a remarkable speech. When the budget allocates money to a Ministry, it should not be transferred to any other Ministry later. However, we have to question whether it happens now. If a retired Chief Justice criticizes his own judgments after his retirement saying they are bias what could us do? Where should that person be kept now? If a judge involves in internal matters of the UNP, it is wrong. We have to introduce technology to the Elections Department.

Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Minister Dilan Perera:

MP Tissa Attanayake’s speech includes contradictory statements. He said that the government does not act in accordance with the instructions of the Court. He says the Court gives wrong decisions. It is like Tissa Attanayake vs Tissa Attanayake.

The UNP questions as to why KP is not killed. Then the same asks as to why Prabakaran was killed.

Gayantha Karunathi-lake takes the Chair.

We did not kill Prabakaran or his son. We did not kill any boy but during the battle those who took weapons.

KP joined the democratic process. The JVP also joined the democratic process. We did not kill them. But the issue with KP is that he did join UPFA not the UNP. If he joined the UNP, it is good for the UNP.

The UNP asked how Pillayan was appointed as a Presidential Advisor. The knowledge of him, who joined the LTTE as a child soldier, returned to the democratic process and became a Chief Minister, is suitable to become an advisor. The UNP got advice from John Farl.

When we consider all the previous governments. There was no government that could bring poverty to 9 percent, or inflation rate to 5 percent, that gave employment to 100,000 graduates during 4 years, that gave relief to farmers in addition to defeating terrorism. There is much more work to get done from President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Don’t look at him through coloured glasses.

Dinesh Gankanda (UNP): The executive powers of presidency should be abolished. This regime came to power with the pledge to abolish it. But the government did not keep to its promise. Many problems have risen due to executive presidency. The 18th amendment to the constitution was another mistake of the government. Those who voted in favour of it made a sin.

Eventhough it is President, he must also be equal before the law. He must also be answerable to Parliament.

The commission to investigate Bribery and Corruption must have a time framework for each complaint it receives.

Lands and Land Development Minister Janaka Bandara Tennakoon: We are taking up expenditure heads of 21 institutions related to the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary. Over the history, structural changes have been made to those institutions, and discussions are on for more structural changes.

Sri Lanka was ruled for 2359 years by kings. They made the country prosperous in every angle. About 194 kings had ruled Sri Lanka.

We have not paid much attention towards the ruling of these kings eventhough we often speak about Capitalism, Socialism and Executive Presidency is essential to rebuild the country and to take it to the correct path. We should not curb these powers and limit the potential of the President.

The independence of the court is affected by the conduct of court itself.

Lakshman Kiriella (UNP): The incident in the Welikada Prison was a massacre. An Independent investigation into this incident cannot be expected since even the Human Rights Commission is under the authority of the government.

The balance between the Executive, Judiciary, Police and government institutions is no more. We request to make them independent and let them work properly. The Attorney General is also under the President. How can the law and order operate in this manner?

Public Affairs and Public Relation Minister Mervin Silva: There are many complaints against Executive Presidentcy and us. But did the UPFA suggest or establish Executive Presidency.

The UNP was in power for 17 years and another two under Ranil Wickremesinghe. Was the Police independent during that period?. I was locked up in prison as a Naxalite suspect, Wijekumarathunga was imprisoned. Mahinda Rajapaksa was imprisoned and was not allowed to attend even to his mother’s funeral.

Is that democracy?

If we listen to colonialists and Europe, they would be pleased.

Under their instructions, during the UNP regime, various agreements were signed to provide relief for Prabakaran. But our government changed it. So they are angry.

Kiriella says we are going backward. If we go backward will there be Norochcholai Power Plant, expressways?.

Prabakaran destroyed the educated class in the North, Agriculture in East as well as in the North. Now they are being corrected.

In Sri Lankan history, King Dutugemunu’s family was the only united family who ruled the country. After that, it is the Rajapaksa family which ruled the country unitedly.

Vijitha Herath (DNA): President Mahinda Rajapaksa during his election campaign pledged voters he would abolish the office of the executive President.

The expenditure on the President for the year is Rs 7,400 million. That is wrong to spend such a massive amount of money for one person. It is the tax collected from the people. This government is ready to tax on dead bodies.

Arundika Fernando (UPFA): We remember your past but Vijitha Herath always for gets it. Vijitha, your party killed many people and destroyed many national properties. You insulted to those who were murdered by you by forcing to carry the remains below the knee level. Is this your democracy?

There are always a crowd who are neglected at budget speeches. That is the staff of a large number of institutions under the office of the President. They render a great service to the country. But the expenditure on them is attributed to the President by the Opposition. It is not fair.’

Sujeewa Senasinghe (UNP):

As opposition MPs, we too admit that the President has done a great service to the country, specially during the war. However, we have to analyze the path the country is taking after the war.

The role of the Commission to Investigate Bribery and Corruption has been discussed over the past years. According to reports, corruption costs 2 percent of the economic growth of our country. Corruption is high in the country.

The Bribery and Corruption Investigation Commission is not investigating independently into all the complaints it receives. The amount of loss in loss making institutions could have been minimized if the corruption had been arrested. There is no transparency among the dealings of government development projects.

A.H.M. Azwer (UPFA):

I wish speedy recovery for our Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne. The end of the war opened new doors towards development. President Mahinda Rajapaksa has been acknowledged as a leader who can provide leadership for entire Asia, specially to the SAARC region. Even the voters who cast their votes to Sarath Fonseka have detached from him now. Nobody can challenge President Rajapaksa’s personality. He is a visionary and exemplary leader.

We cannot agree to the behaviour of Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe in the morning. He contradicted the traditions of the House.

Dayasiri Jayasekara (UNP):

The person who sits on the chair of the House should treat both sides of the House equally. Some do not adhere to this policy and this was clearly visible in the morning today. Please make sure only suitable persons take the Chair of the House.

The orders given by the Public Petitions Committee on public petitions are neglected by the authorities. Our Parliamentary privileges are breached due to this neglect. The advice given by Parliamentary Committees should be adhered and taken seriously. Otherwise, it is a waste of money and time of the Public Petitions Committee. The public officials who are responsible for not carrying out orders should be admonished.

Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage:

The Opposition did not criticize the Expenditure Head of the President as in former budgets. When we listen to their speeches, we get the impression that they also appreciate the path the President is taking.

Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkody takes the Chair.

Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkody in Chair:

Capturing photos inside Parliament is prohibited. I advice all MPs to refrain from taking photos.

Mahindananda Aluthgamage:

The Opposition has not identified real problems in the country. In the past, protest rallies were organized forcing the governing party to hold elections. Today, the Opposition is escaping elections. The JVP could not win at least one seat from all three Provincial Councils in which the elections were held recently.

I must also state that not only the Opposition Leader, but also the others who are trying to break the party into pieces should be responsible for the defeat of the UNP. When Alles MP was attacking the Opposition Leader, Thalatha Athukorala MP gave more time to him and after the speech Sajith Premadasa MP shook hands with Alles. Therefore, I stress that all those who conspire within the party should also bear the responsibly for the continuous failure of the UNP.

If the ‘Regaining Sri Lanka’ plan was executed, there would have been no People’s Bank and BoC today. The then UNP regime was the most corrupt regime in Sri Lankan history.

The Welikada incident was an unfortunate incident. However, those who were killed in this incident were hard core criminals who had claimed the lives of dozens.

E. Saravanapavan (TNA):

Contribution of agriculture from the North is not adequate. The Northern Province had an agriculture based economy before the war and it contributed for about 30 percent of the paddy production in the country. Now, this percentage has dropped to about 8 percent.

Eventhough high security zones have been lifted, necessary environment and encouragement for agriculture have not been created.

Fishermen in the North should also be given more facilities. This area has a great potential for the fisheries industry.

Chief Government Whip and Water Supply and Drainage Minister Dinesh Gunawardena:

The leadership of President Rajapaksa paved the way for the war victory and detailed descriptions on his visionary leadership were presented at the House today.

No Opposition MP spoke about the massive development drive initiated in the North and East. The Opposition brought out baseless allegations which are not relevant to the topics taken up in the House. I thank Minister Basil Rajapaksa for his endeavour to change the electoral system of the country with the support of Minister Athauda Seneviratne.

For the past several years, we have been able to bring about key changes which were long overdue.

The Supremacy of Parliament should always be upheld and we have to defeat all the attempts to belittle this supremacy. Parliament has the authority to make laws. We do not hesitate to appear on behalf of the Supremacy of Parliament, when it is at stake.

The expenditure heads were passed without amendments.

At Adjournment

Buddhasasana Deputy Minister M.R.A.D.S. Gunawardena yesterday said in Parliament that a Bill in connection with Dasasil Mathas has been presented to the Chief Buddhist prelates of all chapters for their approval.

He made this observation in response to an adjournment motion moved by UNP MP Buddhika Pathirana.

Buddhika Pathirana (UNP):

I suggest that there should be a mechanism to uplift the Bikshuni order.

When a religious ceremony is held at a temple, we see the majority of the devotees are female. According to the constitution, the government is bound to protect and spread Buddhism.

The government and the President has the responsibility to bring all the authorities including members of all the Buddhist Chapters, intellectuals and others to discuss this matter. In the Buddhist nuns’ identity cards, they are identified as Silmatha. It should be corrected. There should be a mechanism to foster the Buddhist nuns’ order.

Dayasiri Jayasekara (UNP):

This is a timely motion. I also suggest that we should get-together to establish the Buddhist nuns’ order.

Ven. Ellawala Medananda Thera (UPFA):

We have to abide by preachings of the Buddha in these matters. The Bikshuni order was initiated with the step mother of the Buddha Maha Prajapathi Gothami, entering the Bikshuni order.

However with the Ven. Sangamiththa Therani’s arrival to Sri Lanka, the Bikshuni order was initiate in Sri Lanka. In the Polonnaruwa period, the order of Bikshuni came to an end from the entire world.

So call them the “Bikshuni” is not correct according to the Dharma Vinaya of Buddhism. But the Buddhist nuns’ order today should be restored to get their service to Buddhism.

Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera (UPFA):

There should be a different name I think for those nuns other than “Silmatha” maybe “Mehenin Wahanse” or whatever. The number of these nuns has increased than Silmatha.

However the Bikshuni order was introduced to Thailand and Korea from Sri Lanka. But it was moulded under Mahayana Buddhism.

It is not fair to prevent their rights to establish those Aramas and other institutions related to them and register them.

Buddha Sasana and Religious Affairs Deputy Minister M.K.A.D.S. Gunawardena:

So far, the Ministry has not registered the Bikkuni Sasana or Bukkuni Arama. However, we have formulated a Bill for Dasa Sil Matha and have presented it for the approval of the Chief Prelates.

The House adjourned until 9.30 a.m. today.