Parliament

‘Divineguma Bill focuses on poverty eradication’

Sandasen Marasinghe and Irangika Range

Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa presided when Parliament met at 1.pm yesterday. After the presentation of papers and oral questions, the House took up the Divineguma Bill for debate.

Water Supply and Drainage Minister Dinesh Gunawardene:

Today is a historic day of the country. The Divineguma Bill will enter history today as one of the most important bills presented in Parliament. This bill was brought with the intention of eradicating poverty as outlined in the Mahinda Chinthana.

This bill aims at strengthening the economy of Samurdhi beneficiary families and raising their living standards. The bill will benefit 1.9 million Samurdhi families. About 27,000 Samurdhi Development officers who give leadership to these families will be inducted into the state service.

This bill which is being presented to Parliament today, will empower the needy people. It is our policy to ensure social justice.

The Divineguma bill will support uplift the living standards of the people while ensuring food security. The people will be stakeholders of this project.

Our objective is to eradicate poverty from Sri Lanka. Self employment is important to archive this target. One of our objectives is to provide benefits of the economic development for the majority of the people.

Sajith Premadasa (UNP):

There are 20,000 Samurdhi development officers in the country, but no provision has been included in the Divineguma bill to ensure their working rights, safety and security. It is necessary to uplift their standards.

The people have deposited their money in the Samurdhi Authority, Southern Development Authority and Udarata Development Authority. It is necessary to ensure that the money of the needy people would not be misappropriated.

Unlimited power has been vested with the Minister. Even the Minister can use Divineguma funds for his political campaign.

It is necessary to utilize funds in a transparent and accountable manner for the benefit of the needy people.

Finance and Planning Deputy Minister Dr Sarath Amunugama:

The Divineguma Bill was presented to Parliament with a view to eradicating poverty. The government has introduced a number of programmes to eliminate poverty from the country for the past-six years. According to statistics, the poverty rate has gone down to 8.9 percent in the last year compared to 26.1 percent in 1991. Poverty will be father reduced with the implementation of the Divineguma Bill.

The bill will bring all organizations such as, the Samurdhi Authority, Southern Development Authority and Udarata Development Authority, together to work towards the development of the country.

One of the biggest problems of small scale entrepreneurs is finding capital to commence businesses. We expect to implement a micro credit system for small scale entrepreneurs to strengthen their businesses and start new ventures.

Suresh Premachandra (TNA):

We appreciate the government’s move of inducting 27,000 Samurdhi Development officers as public officers under this bill. We welcome the decision of granting pension and other facilities to them.

We are not against poverty alleviation.

The government should take measures to provide solutions for the national question as well.

The government has absorbed these 27,000 officers into the permanent cadre with the aim of getting their support in elections. There is no transparency of handling Divineguma funds.

The Economic Development Minister has been vested with unlimited powers.

Human Resources Development Senior Minister DEW Gunasekera:

This bill has been discussed widely in the country. This will join three institution. The Samurdhi Authority unanimously agreed when it was set up. All provincial councils except the Northern Provincial Council approved the bill. The amendments are all progressive ones.

The Supreme Court has directed to go for a referendum in connection with one matter. The government decided to remove it. There is no issue with this bill. Most workers in the country engage in non formal sector employments. They have no protection. This act will focus on them. This act has focused on the grass roots level people of the country.

Ranjith Madduma Bandara (UNP):

If this bill is brought to eliminate poverty honestly, we support it.

It this is a move to exploit people to gain political benefits. It is not fair.

Do you implement any special programme under the Upcountry Development Authority to eliminate poverty?

You have allocated only Rs 14,000 million for 2013 to eliminate poverty. Around 20 percent of the people enjoy 57 percent of the GDP. The Samurdhi recipients are the poorest people in the country. Rs 80 billion has been saved by them in a bank. What are you going to do with this money?

I request you to implement this project without considering party differences to eliminate poverty.

Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Minister Douglas Devananda:

I speak as a real representative of the Tamil speaking community and a faithful person of all communities. I thank Minister Basil Rajapaksa and President Mahinda Rajapaksa for taking measures to implement this project, on behalf of my people. The people, I represent, are these who love to live in a united country peacefully. Their vision is to get rid of poverty. Some political parties spoke of the 13 amendment for personal gains.

We have worked against them. The TNA attempts to mislead the Tamil speaking people making wrong statements about the Divineguma project. They shed crocodile tears for the people. They have no moral right to say that they represent Tamil people as they do not love them.

It they love the Tamil speaking people, they would not have joined those who tore and fired the solution proposed by former president Chandrika Bandaranaike.

We support this move to develop the economy of all parts of the country under the Divineguma project. The TNA is scared that they would lose their seats in Parliament as a result of these projects by the government.

These people who mislead the Tamil youths to protest, have sent their children overseas to enjoy luxuries.

There were many discussion between terrorists and rulers such as R Premadasa, Chandrika Kumarathunga, Ranil Wickremesinghe and President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The TNA did not use them but betrayed the Tamil people.

Ajith P Perera (UNP):

When criticisms against this bill were made, the government pointed out various benefits to the people. They said the jobs of Samurdhi officers will be assured. The UNP has no objection against it. It should not be used to gain political benefits.

Economic Development Deputy Minister Laxman Yapa Abeywardena:

We thank all who went before courts and criticized the Divineguma Bill. All came to know it was one of the most important bills in Sri Lankan history as it was a topic among the people.

The Samurdhi officers are a group who suffered a lot. So, the government thought to identify their service. The Samurdhi officers will be entitled for pension. Their job security is guaranteed.

All measures will be taken to eliminate poverty. The beneficiaries are the people of this country. Samurdhi Development Officers have benefits. They can get their ETF from 1995 to date. They have their rights. Some of these officers have been elected as Pradeshiya Sabha chairmen. It was because they serve people in the area.

We have identified one million housing units under Samurdhi projects.

M A Sumanthiran (TNA):

The government is trying to curb the powers vested with Provincial Councils. We vehemently condemn this move. We do not oppose the government move of reducing poverty through this bill. Why wouldn’t the government implement this bill through Provincial Councils?

Justice Minister Rauff Hakeem:

The government has no idea of curbing powers given to Provincial Councils. We have proposed several amendments to the Economic Development Minister with regard to the Divineguma Bill. I hope the minister will give favourable answers to them.

Kabir Hashim (UNP):

What is the assurance the government can give that the funds of Samurdhi families would not be misappropriated? We have doubt whether these funds would be used for the benefit of these people. The minister has been vested with unlimited powers to handle these funds. We ask the minister how these funds are going to be managed.

Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkody takes the Chair.

Dr Sudarshini Fernandopulle (UPFA):

The poverty rate has reduced to 8 percent owing to the correct policies followed by the government. It will further reduce. The needy people will be empowered. The Divineguma will enhance the livelihoods of the people.

Muththusivalingum (UPFA):

This programme will reduce poverty in the plantation sector. No Pradeshiya Sabha or Provincial Council is implementing a proper programme for the well-being of the estate sector. We hope this bill would provide opportunities to strengthen the livelihoods of estate workers.

R Yogarajan (UNP):

The government has taken measures to remove the powers vested with the Provincial Councils gradually. This is illegal. Today, you are using two thirds majority to pass this bill. We have doubt whether this bill would provide benefits for the poor.

Coconut Development and Janata Estate Development Minister Jagath Pushpakumara:

This bill aims at eradicating poverty and strengthening the rural economy. Not only Samurdhi recipients but also Samurdhi officers will benefit from this bill. These officers rendered a yeoman service to eradicate poverty. That’s why the government took measures to appoint them as public officers. It was the UNP government that took measures to reduce the number of Samurdhi recipients. We took measures to empower them and strengthen their livelihoods.

Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen:

Over 1.8 million people are expected to benefit from this bill. We will be able to increase local productivity and export them to other countries in implementing this bill.

Foreign Employment Promotion Minister Dilan Perera:

This bill was introduced with the aim of strengthening the economy of the needy people. The bill will not curtail the powers vested with the Provincial Councils. The people know that the government is doing its maximum to promote the livelihoods of the needy.

The people have confidence in the government. This is the time that all MPs should get-together and work towards the betterment of the country.

Vijitha Herath (DNA):

Out of 47 sections of this bill, 16 were inconsistent with the constitution. We could correct them due to the court order. We are pleased about it. When the Divineguma bill was presented on August 15 last year, these amendments were not included.

Y G Padmasiri (UPFA):

This bill is designed to provide relief for the needy people. I feel it very much as I used to get the ration given by the government long time ago.

This Divineguma is going further in the positive direction.

Ajith Kumara (Independent):

All politicians promised to eliminate poverty. But nobody was true to their words. Do politicians need an Act to eliminate poverty? Politicians pickpocket the money earned by the poor people amidst numerous hardships. The rulers have to reduce the taxes to provide relief for workers to eliminate poverty.

The Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa takes the Chair.

Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa:

Samurdhi officers will be entitled to get pension with the passage of this bill. We take all measures to provide benefits for the people though various groups go before courts not once but 100 times. This Act never grabs the power of the people but this is the first time that the minister’s power is given to the people. The people who attempted to prevent the power being given to the people say they are happy as they too contributed to provide power for the people. We have never taken the power of Provincial Councils through this bill. But going beyond the provincial councils, we have taken measures to give power to the people.

I expected that the Opposition would suggest positive amendments. But ‘no’. The communist parties in the government and the Muslim Congress made some suggestions. We add those possible ones. I thank all who supported this bill.

Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva asked for a division.

Parliament was adjourned until 1 pm today.

More English teachers recruited

Education Deputy Minister Vijith Wijayamuni Zoysa told Parliament yesterday that 1,000 new English teachers have been recruited by the government under the 1,000 secondary school development programme.

The deputy minister was responding to an oral question raised by UNP MP Akila Viraj Kariyawasam.

The deputy minister said there is a shortage of English teachers, but the government is striving to rectify this situation.

“We are in the process of recruiting English Diploma teachers as well,” he said. The government has appointed a Cabinet Sub Committee to look into the appointments of English teachers. Action will be taken to rectify the shortage of English teachers on the recommendations of the Cabinet Sub Committee, the deputy minister said.

Divineguma Bill passed

The Divineguma Bill was passed by a majority of 116 votes. The bill received 159 votes in favour and 43 against.

The UNP, DNA and TNA voted against the bill. Leader of the House and Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva asked for the vote by name.