Week in Parliament

Development - oriented budget

The vote on the Third Reading of budget 2010 was passed in Parliament with an overwhelming majority of 68 votes paving the way for the Government to present its 2011 budget with a broader perspective aimed at giving relief measures to the people and carry out development tasks.

The committee Stage Debate of the Budget which commenced on Monday (July 05) continued until Friday (July 09). During the five days Committee Stage debate both the Government and the Opposition Members made valuable contributions to the budget debate. This would also go into local Parliamentary history as the only budget debate conducted from morning till midnight. It drew the highest number of visitors. At the end of the vote on the Third Reading of the budget Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa thanked all Government and Opposition members who made valuable comments at the budget debate.

At the final vote of the Third Reading of the budget 139 members voted for while 71 members including the UNP, DNA and the TNA voted against. UNP Kandy district MP Abdul Cader also voted in favour of the budget.

Government members during their speeches described budget 2010 as a development oriented budget which would lay a solid foundation to present the 2011 budget in November this year. Sometimes there were heated arguments between the Government and the opposition members during speeches. Government and Opposition members in their speeches highlighted several key issues in relation to economic and development sectors. Both sides also expressed their views on the move by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to appoint an expert panel to investigate the last stages of the war against LTTE terrorism. This turned into a key topic during the Committee Stage debate.

The UNP on Thursday criticised the action taken by the National Freedom Front (NFF) led by its Leader Minister Wimal Weerawansa who conducted a protest campaign opposite the UN office in Colombo. The Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe complained that protesters had attacked and damaged the UN office. He said this incident would tarnish the image of the country. However, External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris who responded to the Opposition Leader's statement told the House the protest opposite the UN office in Colombo by the NFF was peaceful. The protest was in conformity with the law. Prof.Peiris was of the view that the Government had no right to suppress peaceful demonstrations because it had to respect the democratic rights of the protesters. It was a right recognised by the UN as well.

The External Affairs Minister in his speech also alleged that the Opposition Leader had requested the US to exert pressure on the Government to probe any war crimes and human rights violations committed by the Forces during the last phase of the war against terrorism. Citing example, Prof. Peiris asked the Opposition Leader to look at India where the Opposition fights hard with its Government, but at the same time does nothing against India's interests. The Opposition Leader who responded to the Minister said his party would not allow anyone to meddle with Sri Lanka's external affairs in the guise of the UN.

DNA Leader General Sarath Fonseka addressing a media briefing in the Parliamentary complex on Thursday vehemently denied allegations that war crimes had been committed during the last stages of the military operations in Vanni. He told journalists "If war crimes had been committed in Sri Lanka, I would have been the first person to get into trouble. I have consistently maintained that the war was conducted according to internationally accepted norms. I take full responsibility for all that happened during the war."

Mass Media and Information Minister Keheliya Rambukwella who joined the debate categorically denying the comments made by the Opposition that the Rupavahini and the ITN ratings have gone down the Minister said ITN had earned Rs. 585 million last year. Today Paba is in Parliament, not Upeksha Swarnamali. She could obtain more preferential votes than Karu Jayasuriya from Gampaha district because of the Paba teledrama telecast on ITN."

Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne speaking at the debate stressed the point that although the Opposition has a right to criticise the Budget politically, they have no right whatsoever to instigate the international community to intervene the internal affairs of our country. If the Opposition attempts to do so, it's the greatest betrayal of the nation.

TNA Batticaloa District MP P. Ariyanethiran in his speech informed the House the TNA has no opposition on the extension of Presidential terms. But the TNA urged the Government to provide a political solution to the people in the North.

Government members on Monday criticised the behaviour of UNP MPs during the Vote on the Second Reading of the Budget which took place on Saturday (July 03). Water Supply and Drainage Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said the behaviour of the Opposition during the vote was very unfortunate and regrettable. However, the Opposition Leader complained that a bottle of water was hurled from the backbenchers of the Government side apparently targeting him. Government Members who responded to him said a bottle of water was sent as the Opposition Leader was thirsty. Chief Opposition Whip John Amaratunga raising a Privilege Issue requested the Speaker to take disciplinary action against the Government MP who attacked the Opposition Leader with a bottle of water.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Monday made a surprise visit to the Parliamentary complex around 6.00 p.m. and watched the Committee Stage of the budget debate from the President's Office in Parliament. The President was in his office for nearly two hours, until the end of the debate.

Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa said the UNP taking only a certain part of 'Mahinda Chintana' asked the Government how it was going to reduce the Budget Deficit. If the Opposition fully reads "Mahinda Chintana" they can see that it has clearly mentioned the reduction of the Budget Deficit. But we would not reduce it by curtailing subsidies or other investments, the way the former UNP Government did.

Winding up the Committee Stage debate, Leader of the House and Irrigation and Water Management Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said this Government is not afraid to face any criticism. If there are any shortcomings, the Government is ready to rectify them and move forward. But this Government is not ready to bow down to any local or international force, he declared.