‘Parliament's authority will not be diluted’

Despite the big hue and cry by Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe on the floor of the House demanding that the Government submits all documents pertaining to the tender process on the proposed Colombo City Development project, Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne who gave a detailed reply to Opposition Leader's statement told Parliament that the Government would present all documents pertaining to the project when it is compiled.

The Opposition Leader who made a special statement in Parliament on Tuesday called upon the Government to submit all documents pertaining to the tender procedure on the Colombo City Development project to ascertain whether there had been a fraud amounting to US$ 300 million. Wickremesinghe alleged that there had been irregularities and frauds in the tender procedure of this project. The Prime Minister who responded to a series of queries raised by the Opposition Leader said terms and conditions of the loans for each project are negotiated by the Department of External Resources. Provision to service such loans is made by Parliament through the annual budget. Therefore, there is no dilution of Parliament’s power to control the public finance.

The Prime Minister said that various international organisations have come forward to assist Sri Lanka after the eradication of terrorism. Some had offered loan facilities with terms and conditions favourable to us. Premier Jayaratne explained that almost all major projects under the Mahaweli Development and the Urban Development Project were implemented as unsolicited/Stand Alone Proposals in the 1980s – Kotmale, Victoria, Twin Tower etc. Compared to the situation in 1980s, today we have a large number of such projects funded by non conventional funding sources as the country has entered into a rapid development phase. Relevant documents in relation to each of those projects run to seven to eight volumes.

Therefore, it will take more time to collect and copy all relevant documents and tables. The Prime Minister said if necessary, copies of all relevant documents could be transported to Parliament when they are ready.

The following day Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa turned down the Opposition Leader's request to raise a privilege issue based on the ground that Leader of the House and Irrigation and Water Resources Management Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva had provided inaccurate information to Parliament on the Colombo City Development Project. The Speaker said there was no room for a privilege issue to be raised on a statement by a Minister and suggested that the Opposition ask for a debate on the project so that the matter can be discussed at length. The Opposition could then present their facts and the Government could respond appropriately.

The Speaker held the view that the people should be made aware of the details of all mega projects that the Government has embarked upon such as the Colombo Port City Development Project. Therefore, the details of this project should be presented to Parliament. Minister de Silva said if the Opposition Leader is allowed to raise a privilege issue on a statement made by a Minister, it would become a bad precedence. If the Opposition wants, they can ask for a full day debate on this issue and the Government is ready to accommodate it.

The Speaker drew the attention of the House on Thursday to various mushroom organisations and people who confer honorary titles for money following a question raised by UNP Parliamentarian Dr. Harsha de Silva. The MP asked the Prime Minister was aware of the instances of conferring various honorary titles such as Deshamanya, Deshabandu, Lankaputhra, Kalanidhi and Sri Lanka Janaranjana by various institutions and individuals. The MP also tabled a copy of a letter sent to him by such an organization asking money to confer him the Deshabandu title.

The Speaker told the House in lighter vein those who wanted to confer a honorary title to Dr. Silva may not be aware that he has a doctorate. Chief Government Whip and Water Supply and Drainage Minister Dinesh Gunawardena who responded to the MP's question on behalf of the Prime Minister told the House with a sense of humour that unlike Dr. Harsha de Silva who has been conferred a doctorate, they can’t call each and every person who obtained forged doctorates as doctors.

Minister Gunawardena told the House that honorary titles, Deshamanya and Deshabandu are conferred by the President. The Minister said he was not aware of who was issuing the honorary titles such as Lankaputhra, Kalanidhi and Sri Lanka Janaranjana.

Dr. Silva questioned as to how various organisations are issuing these honorary titles. Minister Gunawardena told the House that this matter will be brought to the attention of the IGP. UNP MP Ajith Perera also said that honorary titles such as ‘Dr’ are used by some MPs in their letter-heads and proposed that those MPs should be prevented for abusing such titles if those titles had not been conferred by a university or recognised institute.

MP Perera called upon the Speaker to instruct the MPs to do away with such titles, The Speaker who endorsed the point made by the MP said the habit of some MPs using honorary titles in front of their names should be probed to find out who or which organisation had conferred them and how those MPs were entitled to such titles.

The issue of live telecast of Parliamentary proceedings once again came to light on the floor of the House following a point of order raised by UNP Parliamentarian Ravi Karunanayake as to why the resumption of live broadcasting of Parliament sessions has been delayed. The Speaker had to temporary suspend this live telecast due to the attempts made by some Opposition members to misuse this opportunity to sling mud at the Government.

It is obvious the main Opposition UNP is demanding to recommence this live telecast to gain political mileage. However, the Speaker responding to the Opposition's query said plans are under way to amend Parliament Standing Orders and once it is completed, live telecasting of Parliament sessions would resume. The Speaker said that there was an agreement to be signed with broadcaster and several amendments to be incorporated into the Standing Orders.

UPFA MP A.H.M. Azwer who cited an example from Indian Lok Sabha said that this live telecast should be done in accordance with the amendments to be made to Parliament Standing Orders.

Azwer who moved an adjournment motion on Tuesday proposed to set up a Special Commission to investigate grave human rights violations committed by the LTTE against the Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims in their brutal killings.

The MP moving his motion alleged that the LTTE killed Sinhalese, Muslims and Tamils and chased away the Sinhala and Muslim people from the North. Bhikkhus were massacred at Aranthalawa while Muslim devotees were brutally killed in Kaththankudi by the LTTE.

The LTTE was responsible for claymore bus-bombs and the Central Bank, Katunayake International Airport attacks. The MP told the House that all these LTTE atrocities are included in a book compiled by Prof. Ariyaratne Athugala. Azwer proposed that the House set up a Special Commission to investigate these grave human rights violations committed by the LTTE from 1984 to 2009. UPFA MP Thilanga Sumathipala who seconded the motion said there were certain groups who support and sympathise with the LTTE. They have deliberately turned a blind eye to these LTTE atrocities due to various perks and privileges they received from the diaspora.

UNP MP Ajith P. Perera who joined the debate said that UN High Commissioner for Human rights Navi Pillay has recommended that an international investigation be held on the alleged human rights violations in Sri Lanka. However, the UNP too does not support of such an international investigation against Sri Lanka. Minister de Silva in his reply said that the setting up of such a Commission is vested in the President and it will be submitted to President Mahinda Rajapaksa.