Amendments galore
 The National Unity Government in its maiden Budget introduced
far-reaching changes to the traditional budget accommodating certain
amendments during the Committee Stage debate following requests by the
Opposition members and trade unions. Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake
told the House that four recent amendments introduced to the Budget by
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had resulted in a loss of Rs. 7
billion in government revenue. Depicting the government's sincere
commitment to uphold the democratic norms, Minister Karunanayake said
not only the Prime Minister but even an Opposition MP could make
constructive proposals and the government was ready to accommodate them.
UPFA Colombo District MP Bandula Gunawardena demanded to know whether
there would be any changes in the Budget Estimates due to the amendments
by the Prime Minister. Minister Karunanayake told the MP that the
Premier was entitled to make amendments to the Budget and the government
had the means to meet the deficit of Rs. 7 billion.
UPFA Kandy District MP Mahindananda Aluthgamage was very critical of
the Budget proposals and described it as the most unsuccessful Budget
ever presented in parliamentary history. He questioned as to why these
amendments were not brought up at the Third Reading Vote on the Budget
on December 19. In his hard-hitting speech, he said that the amendments
should have been moved by the Finance Minister himself and not the Prime
Minister.
Political bankruptcy
This raised doubts as to whether the Premier doesn't trust his
Finance Minister. Does the Budget contain even a single proposal of the
Maithri Palanaya? The Budget has proved its political bankruptcy,
Aluthgamage said. UNP Kandy District MP Ananda Aluthgamage attempted to
continuously interrupt his relative's speech. This led Deputy Speaker
Thilanga Sumathipala to strictly warn the MP to desist from his unruly
behaviour.
JVP MP Vijitha Herath who joined in the Committee Stage debate
questioned as to which 'Budget' has to be accepted, given that the
'Budget' presented by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Monday
(December 14) contradicted the Budget presented by Minister Ravi
Karunanayake. MP Herath said that there were two budgets.
A heated argument broke out later between presiding Deputy Speaker
Thilanga Sumathipala and International Trade State Minister Sujeewa
Senasinghe who spoke after MP Aluthgamage. Minister Senasinghe said
during the previous regime, Rohitha Abeygunawardena, the then Minister
of Ports could not make appointments to the Ports Authority without MP
Namal Rajapaksa's approval. MP Abeygunawardena categorically denied the
allegation. At this stage, UPFA rebel MPs Abeygunawardena and
Mahindananda Aluthgamage along with a few other Opposition MPs shouted
at Minister Senasinghe. However, Senasinghe told the vociferous UPFA
rebel MPs that he would show a letter written by Abeygunawardena seeking
the approval of MP Namal Rajapaksa to make such appointments.
Dignity and decorum
Abeygunawardena challenged Minister Senasinghe to table a copy of
that letter. However, Deputy Speaker Thilanga Sumathipala told the
Minister if he continued to mention the names of Opposition MPs often,
they had to be given the opportunity to respond. The angry Minister told
the Deputy Speaker that he (Deputy Speaker) should not tell him what to
speak. He requested the Deputy Speaker to maintain the dignity and
decorum of Parliament and he would decide what to speak. This led to a
heated argument between the Minister and the Deputy Speaker. At this
stage when Deputy Speaker Sumathipala asked him to sit down the Minister
expressed his displeasure at the Deputy Speaker's ruling and questioned
as to why he should sit when he was on his feet. The Deputy Speaker
warned Minister Senasinghe that he ordered him for the second time to
sit down and if he did not do so, he would order him the third time as
well.
The coup attempt at Temple Trees on the morning of January 9, 2015
came to light on the floor of the House following a question raised by
UPFA Matara District MP Dullas Alahapperuma. Law and Order and Southern
Development Minister Sagala Ratnayake responded that the Police
investigations on this incident have been completed and its report had
been sent to the Attorney General's Department for advice. The future
course of action would be decided on the Attorney General's advice. The
Minister pledged that he would apprise the House of all details
pertaining to the coup attempt.
MP Alahapperuma said that responsible politicians of the Government
had made various statements on an alleged coup attempt and their
statements had been given wide publicity in local and foreign media.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Government Media Spokesman at a
Cabinet Press briefing and in Parliament said that there had been such a
conspiracy. These statements had tarnished the country's image, he said.
Key promise
Fulfilling yet another key promise by the National Unity Government,
the motion to convert Parliament into a Constitutional Assembly to draft
a new Constitution would be presented to Parliament on January 9, 2016
by President Maithripala Sirisena. The Party Leaders had decided to
allocate the first week of January as a sitting week so that January 8
and 9 would be two full day sittings days.
The UPFA rebel MPs who were instrumental in bringing the No
Confidence Motion against Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake demanded an
early date to debate it in Parliament. UPFA Colombo District MP Dinesh
Gunawardena had already drawn the government's attention on this issue.
Leader of the House and Higher Education and Highways Minister Lakshman
Kiriella said that the Second Reading of the Budget presented by
Minister Karunanayake had received a two-thirds majority approval of the
House. Hence, there was no need to test the Confidence in the Finance
Minister. However, MP Gunawardena registered his protest and demanded
that a debate on the No-Confidence Motion be agreed to. Speaker Karu
Jayasuriya said that a decision on the No-Confidence Motion could be
made at a separate Party Leaders' meeting.
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