‘JO tries to create communal disharmony’ - Opposition Leader
 Both, Government and Opposition lawmakers on Tuesday launched heavy
flak on Provincial Councils and Local Government Minister Faiszer
Musthapha for his refusal to respond to a query by UNP Badulla District
MP Chaminda Wijesiri regarding a bank account of the Uva Province Chief
Minister Chamara Sampath Dasanayake. The legislators accused the
Minister of deliberately refusing to answer the question, as he was
alleged to have provided legal counsel to the Uva Province Chief
Minister.
Raising his question, MP Wijesiri demanded to know whether the
Minister was aware that a bank account of the Uva Provincial Council had
been used for personal transactions by its Chief Minister and asked the
Minister to tell the House whether it complied with existing financial
and Provincial Council regulations, and the steps that will be taken
against this alleged illegal and improper transaction. Minister
Musthapha attempted to convince the House that it referred to a personal
bank account and the MP’s question had an ulterior motive to defame the
Uva Province Chief Minister, and he would not respond to such questions
in the House.
This led to an uproar in the well of the House and both Ministers,
Kabir Hashim and Ranjth Madduma Bandara berated Minister Musthapha for
his refusal to answer a question raised by a fellow MP. Minister Hashim
who fully refuted the Minister’s claim told him, a Parliamentarian can
raise any question in Parliament and the Minister concerned is bound to
answer him and he cannot refuse to do so. Some Government and Opposition
members who fully endorsed the point raised by Minister Hashim
categorically rejected Minister Musthapha’s response given to the MP.
Minister Madduma Bandara who also expressed his displeasure over
Minister Musthapha’s remarks told the House that Ministers should not
deprive the rights of MPs to ask questions in Parliament, while the
Chief Opposition Whip Anura Kumara Dissanayaka too criticized the
Minister’s refusal to answer the question.
MP Dissanayake told the House, this is the second time the Minister
has refused to answer this question. UPFA Colombo District MP Wimal
Weerawansa alleged that Minister Musthapha was providing legal counsel
to Uva Province Chief Minister and hence he was shielding him. However,
MPWeerawansa told the House in a lighter vein that “it is like asking
the whereabouts of a thief from his mother, with the intention of
tracing him (Horage ammagen pena ahanawa wage).” MP Weerawansa alleged
that it was Minister Musthapha’s legal firm that gave counsel to the Uva
Chief Minister to help him get away from the fraud he is allegedly to
have committed.
The Joint Opposition (JO) members expressed their concern when the
Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill was presented in Parliament by Leader
of the House Minister Lakshman Kiriella. They alleged that, for the
second time the Bill has been presented in an irregular manner, that it
had been gazetted before it got the approval of the Cabinet. Soon after
the Bill was presented, UPFA Colombo District MP Bandula Gunawardena
pointed out that the Bill had been published in the gazette before it
got Cabinet approval. MP Gunawardena told the House that the proper
procedure is to get Cabinet approval before being published in the
gazette. The Bill received Cabinet approval on September 12, whereas the
gazette was issued on September 9. Responding to the JO members, Speaker
Karu Jayasuriya said, if there was a dispute, the Bill could be
challenged in Court and added that he will accept the State Finance
Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena’s stance on the Bill.
However, Parliament was thrown into turmoil the following day when
Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena tabled two letters from the Attorney
General and the Government Printer with regard to the VAT draft Bill
which the Opposition alleged had been gazetted before it was approved by
Cabinet. Leader of the House and Minister Lakshman Kiriella told the
vociferous JO members that there is a tradition in Parliament that a
Bill can be presented in the House, and this is Parliament and not an
AGA’s office. MP Bandula Gunawardena responding to Minister Kiriella
said, the Kachcheri is a better place than this Assembly as it has
better order. Minister S.B. Dissanayake who also endorsed Minister
Abeywardena’s position said, a Minister is vested with the power to
gazette a Bill before sending it to the Cabinet. Minister Abeywardena
said, both, the Attorney General and the Government Printer recommend
that we accept the gazette dated September 13 as the correct one. MP
Wimal Weerawansa who countered the Minister’s statement queried what it
meant. The Speaker said, they called for the letters from the Attorney
General and the Printer because there was some disagreement and added,
he doesn’t see anything wrong in it. MP Weerawansa again attempted to
resist the Speaker. The Speaker then warned MP Weerawansa to take his
seat, and told him that he gave a ruling on the issue the previous day
and warned the MP not to threaten him. State Minister of International
Trade Sujeewa Senasinghe said, if anyone has a doubt or disagreement, he
can go to courts.
MP Dinesh Gunawardena attempted to make a hue and cry on the floor of
the House on the recent statement by Northern Province Chief Minister
C.V. Wigneswaran expecting the Government’s response, and added that the
statement was detrimental to national security. MP Gunawardena alleged,
the Chief Minister has flouted the Constitution by making contradictory
remarks against the country, its people and Buddhism. Minister Lakshman
Kiriella said the JO was always trying to hold on to something to
realize their narrow political objectives. Minister Kiriella said, the
Chief Minister has denied the media reports and added that Prime
Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe would give a detailed response to the
query raised by MP Gunawardena. Opposition Leader R. Sampanthan said,
the Chief Minister had complained that the media had attributed some
statements to him which he did not utter with regard to the situation in
the North. Sampanthan alleged the JO tried to instigate people against
the Northern CM and create communal disharmony.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in response to the question
raised by MP Gunawardena assured Parliament on Friday that the process
of making a new Constitution would continue unhindered by the statements
made by various individuals, both in the North and the South. The
Premier stressed that the new Constitution would be formulated by the
Constitutional Assembly and the Steering Committee, and would not be
influenced by any Chief Minister. Various people make various requests,
but let us proceed with what the majority of the people and all
political parties in this House agree, he said.
JO front liner and UPFA Colombo District MP Udaya Gammanpila told
Parliament that he had submitted a written complaint against Minister
Sarath Fonseka for disturbing him during parliamentary sittings and told
the Speaker that he had failed to take any action against him. MP
Gammanpila made these remarks following a heated argument with MP Field
Marshal Sarath Fonseka during the Oral questions session. |
