Parliament votes to allow members of Committee on Public Finance to pick its Chairman

By Saman Indrajith

A vote taken on the motion that the chair of the Committee on Public Finance should be decided by its members was passed with a majority of 60 votes in parliament yesterday (23) .

The motion received 87 votes for and 17 votes against.

When the motion was moved at the commencement of public business by Leader of the House Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, the SJB MPs opposed it stating that the Chair should be given to the Opposition.

 SJB Colombo District MP Dr. Harsha de Silva opposed the moving of the motion stating that it was undemocratic. The chair of the Committee on Public Finance should be given to the opposition, he said.

 Leader of the House Minister Gunawardena:

How could you say that we are undemocratic? Read the minutes of the committee. Do not come here without reading the minutes. This has been agreed in the committee.

Kurunegala District MP Nalin Jayamaha:

As per the Standing Order number 121, this post should be given to the Opposition.

SJB MP Dr Silva:

The Opposition has only one chairmanship in all committees. This is an issue of democratic practice in the House. I have been proposed by my party for the post of chairman of the committee on public finance. Is the government afraid of me?

 Minister Gunawardena:

MP Silva does not know the facts. The decision to vest that power with the committee was taken by the committee itself. The most democratic manner is vesting the power of electing a chairman to the committee with the committee members. The government commands the majority. If you do not agree, let’s put this to the House for a vote and we can act according to the result of the vote.

 Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena:

Let’s move the House for a vote.

Accordingly, the vote was taken and the government’s motion was passed with a majority of 60 votes.