By Saman Indrajith

Chief Opposition Whip and Kandy District SJB MP Lakshman Kiriella told Parliament on Tuesday that every Sri Lankan was now entitled to claim Rs 150,000 as compensation by moving court on the basis of the Supreme Court ruling that the Rajapaksa brothers were guilty of having caused the country’s worst-ever financial crisis.

The Chief Opposition Whip said that the Supreme Court had ruled that former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, ex-Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa, former Central Bank of Sri Lanka Governors Ajith Nivard Cabraal and Prof. W. D. Lakshman, and ex-secretaries to the Treasury PB Jayasundera and S.R. Attygalle had violated the fundamental rights of the people by mishandling the economy and causing the unprecedented economic crisis.

Kiriella

The ruling was given after considering the petitions by the Transparency International, Open University’s Prof Mahim Mendis, former national swimming champion Julian Bolling and former chairperson of Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Chandra Jayaratne and Jehan Kanakaratne.

“We welcome the Supreme Court decision and praise the petitioners for taking this initiative. We have been telling the same thing in this House for the past two to three years. Now, it has been proved that the national economy was ruined by the Rajapaksas and others,” Kiriella said.

Opposition and SJB leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday called on all those adversely affected by the economic crisis to come forward and claim compensation.