News
SJB asks govt. to reveal IMF loan conditions
By Saman Indrajith
The SJB yesterday demanded in Parliament that the government reveal the conditions in its agreement with the IMF.
Chief Opposition Whip and Kandy District SJB MP Lakshman Kiriella said that the government should not expect the Opposition’s support for the IMF bailout project unless the IMF conditions were revealed to the public.
“The IMF agreement should be debated in Parliament. How could we conduct a debate without knowing the contents of the agreement? Some ministers say that there is no agreement yet. Minister Ali Sabry told the UNHRC that there was an agreement with the IMF. It is said that some creditors, too, have been given copies of this agreement. However, it is hidden from Parliament, which is said to have control over public finance. The Speaker should take action to get this agreement for the MPs. He should maintain Parliament’s dignity. The excuse for hiding this agreement from Parliament is that the draft agreement contains sensitive clauses and we have agreed with the IMF to maintain secrecy.
“It could be recalled that the government acted the same way without informing the House when it ruined this economy. In 2019 there foreign currency reserves to the tune of UD 7,900 million. It was brought down to 20 million US dollars while the Opposition kept raising questions in Parliament and the government continued on without informing it.
“We demand that the Speaker should call on the President and get this agreement to Parliament. We, as MPs, have a right to see this. If you keep hiding this agreement we will have to withdraw our support for the government’s plans.
The Colombo Stock Exchange (GL 12) has contributed LKR 25 million to the Rebuilding Sri Lanka Fund.
The cheque was handed over to the Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake by the Chairman of the Colombo Stock Exchange, Dimuthu Abeyesekera, the Chief Executive Officer Rajeeva Bandaranaike and Senior Vice Chairman Kusal Nissanka at the Presidential Secretariat.
News
Karu argues against scrapping MPs’ pension as many less fortunate members entered Parliament after ’56
Former Speaker of Parliament Karu Jayasuriya has written to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake expressing concerns over the proposed abolition of MPs’ pensions.The letter was sent in his capacity as Patron of the Former Parliamentarians’ Caucus.
In his letter, Jayasuriya noted that at the time of Sri Lanka’s independence, political participation was largely limited to an educated, affluent land-owning elite. However, he said a significant social transformation took place after 1956, enabling ordinary citizens to enter politics.
He warned that under current conditions, removing parliamentary pensions would effectively confine politics to the wealthy, business interests, individuals engaged in illicit income-generating activities, and well-funded political parties. Such a move, he said, would discourage honest social workers and individuals of modest means from entering public life.
Jayasuriya also pointed out that while a small number of former MPs, including himself, use their pensions for social and charitable purposes, the majority rely on the pension as a primary source of income.
He urged the President to give due consideration to the matter and take appropriate action, particularly as the government prepares to draft a new constitution.The Bill seeking to abolish pensions for Members of Parliament was presented to Parliament on 07 January by Minister of Justice and National Integration Dr. Harshana Nanayakkara.
Five suspects, including former Minister Johnston Fernando and his two sons, who were arrested by the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID), were further remanded until 30 January by the Wattala Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
The former Minister’s , sons Johan Fernando and Jerome Kenneth Fernando, and two others, were arrested in connection with the alleged misuse of a Sathosa vehicle during Fernando’s tenure as Minister.
Investigations are currently underway into the alleged misuse of state property, including a lorry belonging to Lanka Sathosa, which reportedly caused a significant financial loss to the state.
In connection with the same incident, Indika Ratnamalala, who served as the Transport Manager of Sathosa during
Fernando’s tenure as Minister of Co-operatives and Internal Trade, was arrested on 04 January.
After being produced before the Wattala Magistrate’s Court, he was ordered to be remanded in custody until 09 January.The former Sathosa Transport Manager was remanded on charges of falsifying documents.
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