RTI Bill unanimously passed

Government and the Opposition lawmakers on Friday (June 24) unanimously approved the much awaited Right to Information (RTI) Bill in Parliament ensuring the people’s right to demand information and strengthen transparency, good governance and combat corruption. All 225 parliamentarians irrespective of their political differences approved this progressive piece of legislation without calling for a vote at the end of the two day debate. The enactment of the RTI was yet another pledge by President Mithripala Sirisena in the run up to last year’s Presidential Election.

Benefits

Most of the Government and the Opposition MPs who joined in the two-day debate highlighted the importance of passing this landmark legislation and its key benefits to the people. Some Joint Opposition members who joined in the debate drew the attention of the House on the restriction of information relating to defence, bilateral agreements and a few other selected areas.

Moving the RTI Bill for the Second Reading debate in Parliament, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the move to introduce the RTI was a giant step towards good governance as it would ensure the accountability of the government to its citizens.

The Premier told the House as to how the UNP first attempted to introduce the RTI Bill in 2003 but after it had lost power in 2004, the Bill was consigned to cold storage. Had the UPFA Government which came to power in 2004 enacted this legislation, Sri Lanka could have boasted as the first country in South Asia to pass an RTI Bill, he said.

Parliamentary Reforms and Mass Media Minister Gayantha Karunatilake said the RTI Bill became a reality as a result of the silent revolution that broke out on January 8, 2015. Countries such as India had to introduce this kind of legislation due to various public protests and agitation campaigns launched by the people. In Sri Lanka, the Yahapalana Government came forward and moved this Bill. The Centre for Law and Democracy in Canada has lifted the RTI as the seventh best in the world being second only to India., the Minister said.

UPFA Colombo District MP Wimal Weerawansa said the RTI Bill aims at blocking vital information rather than letting it out.

Channels

The flow of information has never been a problem in the country and there are formal and informal channels for people to collect information. Using the RTI Bill, the Government could block the informal flow of information on several key aspects of the country and its economy, he said.

The arrest of UPFA Colombo District Parliamentarian Udaya Gammanpila turned into a hot topic in the House on Tuesday (June 21) following a privilege issue raised by Joint Opposition leader Dinesh Gunawardena who alleged that the MP’s arrest was a political revenge and asked Prime Minister to inform the House as to why the MP was taken into custody.

The Premier however, invited Minister Sarath Fonseka to respond to the query directed at him. This led to a pandemonium in the House and the Joint Opposition members who continuously interrupted Minister Fonseka’s speech demanded that the Premier should answer the question.

Pandemonium

The Joint Opposition members stood up and kept on shouting while some members were seen indulging in unparliamentary words. Pandemonium continued as the Government legislators too started shouting at the Joint Opposition MPs. Later, Premier Wickremesinghe told the House that he had asked the Minister to respond to the question as he was suffering from a cough. Does a mere cough prevent the Prime Minister from answering this question, MP Gunawardene asked.

Loans

The JVP on Tuesday accused the Government of obtaining twice loans exceeding the amount approved by the Appropriation Bill for 2015. Raising a point of order, JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that exceeding burrowing limits had been noted by Auditor General on page 365 of the Annual Report of the Finance Ministry presented to Parliament on June 21. MP Dissanayake said according to the Annual Report of the Finance Ministry, Parliament had approved the raising of loans not exceeding Rs 1,780,000 million through the Appropriation Bill for the financial year 2015 while the Government had exceeded that amount raising Rs 3,349,805 million as loans.

He demanded to know who gave the authority to the Government to raise loans twice the amount approved by Parliament on the following day. Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake making a special statement in response to the question raised by JVP Leader told the House that the Auditor General’s report which stated the Government had obtained loans in 2015 exceeding the amount approved by the Appropriation Bill for the year had no scientific basis and is an attempt to create a wrong picture of the Government’s financial management.

Demonstration

The Joint Opposition members staged a demonstration inside the chamber on Wednesday demanding the arrest of persons who made death threats to UPFA Kalutara District MP Piyal Nishantha if he failed to pay the ransom demanded by them. Deputy Chairman of Committees Selvam Adaikkilanathan said he would bring the matter to the notice of the Speaker. Premier Wickremesinghe responding to the question, said there was none for the protection of Muslims of Beruwala when they were killed.

Now the killing of Muslims in Beruwala is over. MP Nishantha alleged that those who killed Beruwala Muslims are in the Government ranks today. However, the Joint Opposition Leader MP Dinesh Gunawardena told the Government that this is a serious matter and not to play with the life of an MP. All Joint Opposition MPs stood up demanding that the life of MP Piyal Nishantha should be protected and maximum protection be provided for him and his family.

The Joint Opposition members on Thursday drew the attention of the House to the incident in which Social Welfare Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake, who became popular with his One Shot film series, conducted shooting practices at the premises of the official quarters for MPs at Madiwela. UPFA Moneragala District MP Padma Udayashantha Gunasekera, raising a privilege issue said MP Ramanayake’s shooting practice at the Madiwela Parliamentarians’ housing complex scared the family members, especially children of other MPs resident there.

The Opposition lawmakers said Deputy Minister Ramanayake has become a nuisance and the Police has also been informed of this situation. UPFA Matara District MP Chandrasiri Gajadeera demanded to know from the Prime Minister as to who had given permission for the Deputy Minister’s shooting practice. Premier Wickremesinghe said he had not given permission to Deputy Minister Ramanayake for his shooting practice as he did not have powers to do so.