Week in Parliament

Budget 2012 hailed

Amids the interruptions made by the UNP in Parliament on Monday, President Mahinda Rajapaksa delivered the seventh consecutive budget speech of the UPFA Government introducing a series of fresh proposals to spur the ongoing development drive of the country while pledging to increase the salaries of the public servants and other welfare measures given to various segments of the society.

When the President was in the middle of delivering his budget speech, an untoward incident took place due to unruly behaviour by UNP members in the chamber. This organised plot of the UNP to disrupt the proceedings of the House was first exposed when various verbal disturbances were made by them from time to time soon after the President commenced his budget speech. President Rajapaksa who responded to the UNP members, asked them in a jubilant mood, if the UNP wants he is ready to give elections at any time by dissolving even Parliament. The President said in a lighter vein however that he has certain fear whether the remaining Opposition MPs will also lose their seats and also queried what would be the destiny of the UNP MPs like Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena.

Amidst these interruptions made by the UNP, the President continued his budget speech as planned. But the atmosphere within the chamber turned tense when UNP MPs unfolded some posters and some Government members rushed towards them and attempted to pull their posters away. This scene of commotion led to a drama inside the House and some Government MPs were seen crossing the well of the House to pull away the posters while the Government MPs occupying the back seats on the Opposition side too joined them. This incident led to an exchange of heated arguments and verbal blows between the Government and the Opposition members. However, the DNA or TNA members did not take part in the UNP's protest and they witnessed the mini-battle from their seats.

President Rajapaksa who patiently watched this pandemonium broke out in the House a few minutes later and called upon the Government members to return to their seats. Later Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe got up and condemned the unpleasant incident that took place in the House. Wickremesinghe informed the House the UNP would walk out as a protest of this incident. After the UNP walked out, President Rajapaksa who resumed his budget speech stressed the need of a strong Opposition. He pointed that the tendency of those in the Opposition parties working separate groups, is not healthy for the country. The President pointed out, like the Government, the Opposition should also stand by together for their political vision while setting aside personal differences and being humble and matured enough to rectify any wrongs of the past.

When various speculations were made about conditions put forward by the international monetary agencies to curtail the subsidies given to the people, the budget 2012 has further increased the subsidies given to the people. The President in his speech highlighted the importance of the Opposition working with the Government to find solutions to the problems faced by the people. The President explained how the reconciliation efforts to bring unity among all communities made a significant progress.

Before the commencement of the second reading of the budget on Tuesday, a tense situation was created in the House once again when the UNP MP Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena attempted to raise a privilege matter. However, Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa did not permit the MP to raise his privilege matter as he has not made any prior notice to the Speaker. Speaker was of the view Parliamentarians cannot be allowed to misuse the privileges of the House. Later the Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe also raised a question about the security of the Opposition MPs. The Speaker told the Parliament that security of every Parliamentarian has been ensured in terms of the tradition which prevailed in the House of Commons. Speaker informed the House he has decided to conduct an inquiry on this incident.

Leader of the House and Irrigation and Water Management Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva accused the UNP of hatching a conspiracy in the House to insult the President and disrupt the proceedings of the House. This led to heated arguments between the Government and the Opposition benches. The Speaker told the House this tense situation was created in the House due to the attempt made by the UNP MPs to bring some posters inside the chamber.

Commencing the second reading debate on behalf of the Opposition, UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake said budget 2012 has failed to introduce any future vision to develop the country. The MP queried what are the peace dividends gained by the people after two years and eight months of ending war. Karunanayake pointed out that the budget has not set out any proposals to generate employment. He said this budget has been prepared to fulfill the aspiration of the IMF. However, Government members were seen interrupting to the MP's speech from time to time.

Senior Minister for International Monetary Cooperation Dr. Sarath Amunugama in his reply to MP Karunanayake said the Government expected the MP to make constructive criticism on the budget. But, instead, the MP expressed various gossips and quoted some newspaper articles without talking about the UNP's political vision.

Dr. Amunugama making a different hard hitting speech in Parliament expressed to MP Karunanayake that he made various imaginations rather than making any fruitful speech. The Minister told in lighter vein it is obvious creating this kind of imaginations when a political party has been continuously in the Opposition for about 17 years. Dr. Amunugama said though the MP has changed his attire and switched into the national dress, his economic policy has not been changed. He challenged the MP to conduct a convention and announce their economic policy to the country.

UNP MP Tissa Attanayake who referred the pay hike given to the public servants explained an allowance has been given to the public servants without increasing their basic salary. Therefore this pay hike will not be added to the pension or other allowances of the public servants. The MP said the budget has completely ignored over 6 million employees in the private sector even without making any reference on them. Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva who joined the debate explained how Sri Lanka's economy is growing faster than the economies of world's super powers, USA and UK. Quoting the October edition of the Economic Times magazine, the Minister said Sri Lanka is leading Canada, France, Austria, Denmark and Germany.