Much-awaited RTI Bill in House

The National Unity Government fulfilling yet another key pledge to restore the good governance in the country presented the much- awaited Right to Information (RTI) Bill in Parliament on Thursday ensuring that every citizen has the right of access information.

Several attempts to introduce an RTI during the tenure of previous regime including the private member’s motion by Speaker Karu Jayasuriya as an Opposition MP at that time, were thwarted denying the people’s right to information. When the historic RTI Bill presented in Parliament is debated and passed, it would play a vital role in the government’s efforts to restore good governance in the country.

Prior to Parliamentary Reforms and Mass Media Minister Gayantha Karunatilake presenting the RTI Bill in Parliament on Thursday, the Speaker told the House on Wednesday that all Provincial Councils have conveyed their approval of the RTI Bill, while the Northern, Sabaragamuwa and North Central Provincial Councils have proposed amendments. When the Bill was presented, Chief Opposition Whip Anura Kumara Dissanayake told the House that the RTI Bill is very vital from the point of democracy and asked whether the amendments proposed by the three Provincial Councils could be furnished to the Members of Parliament to be discussed in Parliament.

Economic situation

Minister Karunatilake who participated in the adjournment debate on the current economic situation in the country moved by the JVP Leader and Chief Opposition Whip Anura Kumara Dissanayake being highly critical of the conduct of the Joint Opposition said they were daydreaming to topple the Government.

He said the Joint Opposition had deployed 450 buses to bring people to their Hyde Park rally. If the people were brought to Colombo using the money misappropriated by the previous regime, the Government cannot be toppled by such means.

Instead of making a big hue and cry, the Minister called upon the Joint Opposition members to join hands with the government and do some thing worthwhile to the people.

The Minister said the former Rajapaksa government attempted to remain in power by launching grand development projects which did not benefit the public at all. As a result, the country had got entangled in a debt trap and the Government has to obtain loans to settle such debt and interest. The Rajapaksa government built ports where ships do not come, airports where planes do not land and stadiums where games are not played. It had implemented all those projects to boost the egos of its leaders and also to receive commissions, the minister said.

Ransom and bribes

Minister Sarath Fonseka who joined in the adjournment debate vehemently criticised the Joint Opposition and accused them of attempting to sabotage the forward-march of the government. He said the Joint Opposition wants to disrupt the good governance and take the country back to the former dictatorial dispensation and resort to ransom and bribes. UPFA Colombo District parliamentarian Bandula Gunawardena condemned Minister Fonseka’s attempts to take cover behind the parliamentary privileges to level various allegations against former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and other opposition politicians. He told the House that Fonseka received only 23,000 votes at the last general election.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Wednesday questioning the UPFA Colombo District MP Udaya Gammanpila’s knowledge of Hindi asked whether he knew at least three words in Hindi. MP Gammanpila raised a question pertaining to a statement made to the Indian Parliament by Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on the proposed bridge linking Sri Lanka with India. MP Gammanpila told the House that the Indian Minister had told the Lok Sabha on December 16, 2015 that the Sri Lankan Prime Minister, during his visit to India had discussed the construction of such a bridge with his Indian counterpart.

The Premier told the MP that he was not aware of any such statement by Indian Minister Gadkari to the Indian Parliament. However, the Premier told the MP in lighter vein that the Lok Sabha Hansard is in Hindi and as he don’t understand that language, he cannot confirm if Minister Gadkari as alleged had made a statement pertaining to such a bridge in the Indian Parliament. He asked MP Gammanpila, if he knows Hindi whether he could utter three words in Hindi. The MP, however, did not respond.

Kandy District UPFA MP Mahindananda Aluthgamage on Thursday told Parliament that the Joint Opposition would move a No-Confidence Motion against Tourism, Christian Affairs and Lands Minister John Amaratunga. Raising a point of order, the MP said he had asked a question on Wednesday expecting an oral answer from Minister Amaratunga. The MP alleged that while the Secretary to the Ministry had sent a detailed reply to the question, the Minister gave a false answer without presenting the details to the House. Condemning the Minister’s response, he tabled the report sent by the Ministry Secretary.

MP reprimanded

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya on Thursday reprimanded UPFA’s Gampaha District MP Sisira Jayakody who had lit a torch in the Parliament Chamber to draw attention to the power crisis on Wednesday. The MP was advised by Speaker Jayasuriya to refrain from such behaviour in the House in the future. MP Jayakody was asked to explain as to why he had lit the torch in the Chamber and pointed it at the Chair as well as the Minister of Power and Energy Ranjith Siyambalapitiya during a parliamentary discussion on the power crisis on Wednesday.

After his meeting with the Speaker, MP Jayakody told journalists that he had informed the Speaker that he did so by way of protest to draw attention to the recent power blackout.