News
Parliament tells SLC bigwigs to go home
By Saman Indrajith
Parliament yesterday unanimously resolved to oust the incumbent office -bearers Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).At the end of the debate on a motion moved and seconded by both sides of the House, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena inquired whether it should be put to a vote.
However, since the MPs of both sides were in favour of the motion, there was no need for a vote to be taken.
The JVP-led NPP MPs were not present in the Chamber at the time. Its MP Vijitha Herath earlier in the day endorsed action taken by Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe to sack the incumbent officials of SLC.
Only 142 out of 225 MPs were present in the House. Of the 142 MPs, 83 were from the government ranks while 59 were from the opposition.
Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa told Parliament yesterday that (SLC) had placed itself above the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary.
Moving a motion for a resolution seeking the expulsion of incumbent SLC administrators, Premadasa said that all 225 MPs must take the lead in a campaign to save the game of cricket from corrupt officials. “Time has come to stop the underworld, drug kingpins and cronies of politicians calling the shots at the SLC. We must establish a caucus of MPs in parliament only for cricket,” Premadasa said.
The resolution said: “That this Parliament resolves that the current officials including the Chairman of the corrupt Sri Lanka Cricket should resign forthwith, and that a new legislation should be passed as an Act of Parliament in view of maintaining a corruption-free and transparent cricket administration.”
Seconding the motion Ports and Aviation Services Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said that the officials of the SLC should step down as it was the public opinion. “Whether they are right or wrong, they should resign if the public opinion demands so. The SLC officials should understand that time has come for them to step down without further complicating the prevailing crisis,” the Minister said.
Chief Government Whip Urban Development and Housing Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said the debate would set an example for both government and the opposition to work together to find solutions to national problems. “In the same manner we could come together and work for the benefit of this country. We thank the Leader of the Opposition for moving this motion in a manner that we all could join in this effort,” the minister said.
Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera said that the Cabinet Subcommittee was ready to work in cooperation with the Sports minister to cleanse Sri Lanka cricket. The Cabinet subcommittee is not there for the purposes of selecting the coaches or players.
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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