Srilanka

Kiriella urged to reveal ministers evading SO questionsJVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake in Parliament yesterday was critical of the ministers who have not provided answers to questions by the Opposition Leader or party leaders under Standing Order 27 (2). Dissanayake said nine such questions were left unanswered over three months. He demanded the Leader of the House to reveal the names of the ministers who have not answered to nine questions.

Leader of the House Minister Lakshman Kiriella said he cannot reveal the names of those ministers. He said Speaker Karu Jayasuriya can make a decision on these ministers and accused Dissanayake of raising &unnecessary questions&.

Dissanayake said, &How come asking which ministers did not answer the 27 (2) questions is an unnecessary question? All the MPs are using public money. The public has a right to know what their representatives are doing. They deserve to know which ministers don&t answer questions. Some questions have not been answered for over three months.&

MP Douglas Devananda reiterated the same issue and pointed out that five questions he raised are yet to receive answers.

Speaker Jayasuriya said he shall look into the matter.

A question raised under SO 27 (2) is any question relating to a matter of urgent public importance asked by the Leader of the Opposition or a leader of a recognised political party at the conclusion of questions after due notice has been given to the minister concerned.

Speaker shows displeasure over Wijeyadasacomment

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya yesterday expressed his disappointment over a statement by UPFA MP Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe that Parliament was the most corrupt institution in the country.

Speaker Jayasuriya was responding to UPFA Gampaha District MP Nimal Lanza when he queried the opinion of the Chair on the statement by Dr. Rajapakshe.

&If MP Rajapakshe holds such an opinion of the august assembly then he should not remain in such a corrupt place,& the Speaker said.

MP Lanza, raising a point of order, said MP Rajapakshe had stated in public that parliament was the most corrupt institution in the country and there were media reports.

&MP Rajapakshe stated that parliament is corrupt and the laptops fixed on our tables are nothing but a bribe. This statement is not good for the dignity of Parliament, its Speaker and the MPs. We need an explanation from the Chair on this matter,& MP Lanza said.

&The Chinese Parliament donated the laptops. Parliament had been given donations by other countries as well. It is not a bribe. If any MP does not like laptops, they could refrain from using them. I regret the statement of MP Rajapakshe. If he thinks so, then he should not be here,& Speaker Jayasuriya said.

SriLankan board against reductions: ‘Reduced ground-handling charges benefit airlines, won&t attract tourists&

The Board of Directors of Sri Lankan Airlines were not in agreement with the decision made to reduce the ground handling charges for services provided by Sri Lankan Airlines to other airlines, JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake observed in Parliament yesterday, adding that this was a political decision which brings no benefit for the country and it causes huge losses to the government.

Raising a question under standing orders 27/2 in Parliament yesterday, he noted that based on a Cabinet decision, the Government had reduced the ground handling charges at the BIA for six months from August 1.

&This decision was announced by the Director General of Civil Aviation and the Government has also taken steps to provide fuel for aircraft and lubricants at concessionary rates and grant tax concessions. They had made this decision on the presumption that the ground handling charges at the BIA was high and that by reducing the ground handling charges would be a boost to attract more tourists to the country. However, experts in the field have pointed out that this was a futile exercise and that by this decision the Government stands to lose a huge sum of money,& he said.

Dissanayake noted that the benefit of the reduction went to the airline companies and not to the passenger. &However, these airlines, while enjoying the reduction, have not signed any agreement to increase the seating capacity of their flights to the country or reduce the price of tickets. Therefore, the claims that this decision would attract greater numbers of tourists to the country are baseless,& he added.

The JVP leader pointed out that due to the reduction in ground-handling charges alone, SriLankan Airlines loses around $ 710,000 (Rs. 124,840,652) per month. Within the six months that the reduced ground handling charges are offered, the country would stand to lose around $ 4.3 million (Rs. 776 million). &Similarly, as tourist arrivals have yet not returned to normalcy after the Easter Sunday attacks, due to the decision made to reduce ground handling charges Sri Lankan Airlines stands to lose an estimated $ 800,000 monthly, amounting to a loss of $ 4.8 million during the six months. This is in addition to the loss incurred by providing fuel concessions.

&Since 2008, SriLankan Airlines had not increased ground handling charges and in 2016 these charges for various airlines was reviewed. Accordingly, a decision was taken to remove all unfair benefits enjoyed by certain airlines and a system of providing concessions based on the number of flights was approved. Accordingly, Air India and Singapore Airlines increased charges by 18 per cent, Saudi Airlines by 15 per cent, Turkey Airlines by 13 per cent, Korean Airlines by 8 per cent and Emirates by 4 per cent. Meanwhile, Etihad had reduced their charges by 4 per cent, Qatar Airways and Air China by 5 per cent, Air Asia and Malaysian Air by 6 per cent, Air Arabia by 10 per cent. Under such circumstances, there was no requirement to reduce the ground handling charges,& he said.

According to Dissanayake, by the reduction, Emirates stands to gain around $ 1,200 per flight. &However, while Emirates has to pay $ 4,864 per flight to Colombo, SriLankan Airlines has to endure a charge of $ 5,118 in Dubai which is operated by the Emirates Airlines ground handling company, Dnata.&

Exports grew 11.3 per cent in first quarter of this year - Nalin

In comparison to the 1st quarter of 2018, exports have shown a growth of 11.3 per cent during the 1st quarter of 2019, said Development Strategies and International Trade Deputy Minister Nalin Bandara Jayamaha.

Opening the debate in Parliament yesterday for the approval of three Orders under the Sri Lanka Export Development Act, Jayamaha said the service exports has recorded a notable growth of 27.3 per cent compared to the 1st quarter in 2018.

&During the 1st quarter in 2018, our total revenue from exports was USD 7584.4 million. It has been increased to USD 8441.7 million in the 1st quarter of 2019. Furthermore, the industry export sector has recorded a growth of 5.6 per cent. If we look at the service export sector, we have been able to record a growth of 61.2 per cent in ICT related services in 1st quarter in 2019,& he said.

Jayamaha said the government believes that the country should go forward by increasing exports. We want to record a 20 per cent increase in exports by 2020.

&We should reduce our export-import gap as well. We can&t bear the current gap. To reduce this and increase our exports, the government has initiated several new projects. Through projects such as the ‘Exporter 2000& and ‘One Village One Product& initiative, we will recognise new exporters and introduce them to the global market,& he said.

PCs& stamp duty non-payment has caused serious issue - Alahapperuma

A serious issue has arisen at local government institutions over stamp duty since the Provincial Councils do not pay it, said UPFA- MP Dullas Alahapperuma in Parliament yesterday.

He said the issue had gravely affected the Southern Province and several other areas. &The most dangerous factor is that thousands of appointments have been given and when the Treasury does not authorise funds for their salaries, the Provincial councils paid for them with the money allocated for the stamp duty of the local government bodies.&

After two years, this money is returned to the Treasury and the provincial councils will never get those funds back, he said. &It is irrelevant which party is in power, this is a serious issue. This is a grave violation of the fundamentals of democracy,& he said.

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya agreed that it was a serious matter and asked to focus on the issue.

Minister Gayantha Karunatillaka inquired from Alahapperuma which Provincial Councils he was referring to in his allegations.

Alahapperuma said the crisis affects all provincial councils and not just the Southern Province. Even the Wayamba Province is affected with the crisis.

UNP Badulla District MP Chaminda Wijesiri said this situation is traditional. &No matter which government is in power, this is a right which is granted to the Local Government member. This is a privilege given to LG representatives through an Act, and they cannot be deprived of it. Every Chief Minister does this at some point. When we represented the Provincial Councils in 2011, we also had to face this situation,& he said.

He, therefore, urged the Speaker to intervene and resolve the issue. &Today the garbage issue cannot be resolved because the fund for the disposal of garbage is stuck at the Provincial Councils, and they are not releasing the funds. The Local Government bodies cannot function independently due to the issue and the matter needs to be sorted out so that the Local Government institutions could function efficiently and independently,& he said.

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya said the issue had been prevalent over a considerable period. He said relevant measures needed to be taken to resolve the issue.

Over 1,000 flights cancelled following Easter Sunday attacks - Abeysinghe

Over 1,000 flights scheduled to reach Sri Lanka were cancelled in May following the Easter Sunday terror attack, Transportation and Civil Aviation State Minister Ashoka Abeysinghe yesterday said.

The State Minister was responding to a question by JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake raised under the 27 (2) Standing Order.

Abeysinghe pointed out that a cancellation of one flight amounts to a direct revenue loss of USD 11,000 and an indirect revenue loss of USD 49,500.

Dissanayake was critical of the governmentdecision to lower the ground handling charges provided by the SriLankan Airlines for other airlines.

The State Minister said, &This question mainly focuses on SriLankan Airlines. It is not under the Transportation Ministry but under the Finance Ministry. Finance State Minister Eran Wickremeratne will give a comprehensive answer to this question at the next sitting. You may know that Sri Lanka has the highest embarkation charges in Asia. Lowering these charges comes as a Cabinet decision to attract foreign tourists to Sri Lanka.&

NFC, NA failed in preserving films - Nalinda

JVP Kalutara District MP Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said in Parliament yesterday that although conserving films is a part of preserving the national heritage, the National Film Corporation (NFC) and the National Archives (NA) failed to bring about a sound solution to preserve films for decades.

Dr Jayatissa said the NFC does not have a proper mechanism to preserve films produced by past Lankan cinema artistes. &This is an old problem. In 1956 when Rekawa was created, Dr Lester James Peiris requested that a film conservation unit should be set up. He repeated that request on numerous instances. Even at his deathbed, he made the request. Unfortunately we have failed as a nation to make his dream a reality. All past films whether they are artistic creations or commercial films, they should be persevered. It is up to the future generations to decide on their importance,& Dr. Jayatissa said.

Several projects were initiated by the NFC for the purpose, but none succeeded, he said. Thereafter, the National Archives accepted the task but it does not have trained persons and physical resources for the purpose,& he said.

Chief Government Whip Lands and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Gayantha Karunathilaka responding on behalf of the Cultural Affairs Minister said the NFC had a programme to conserve films and 356 films had been preserved. He said relevant persons are trained. So far five persons had been sent to obtain training from the Indian Film Heritage Foundation.

Minister Karunathilaka said the subject minister would provide a det

Jobs for graduates offered in transparent manner - PM

The government followed a fair and transparent procedure in offering jobs to the unemployed graduates specially considering the year they completed their degree, said Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in Parliament yesterday.

Premier Wickremesinghe stated that in two phases the government offered 3,200 and 16,800 jobs to unemployed graduates who number 54,825 in total.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe further said the government took measures to grant jobs to graduates who had completed their degrees internally from a government university by December 31, 2016 and those graduates who completed their degrees externally from a government university as at December 31, 2011.

The Prime Minister was speaking in response to a query made by UNP Parliamentarian Harshana Rajakaruna during the round of questions to be raised from the Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe further said that measures would be taken to fill the positions that have fallen vacant by non acceptance of employment by those selected during the second phase in the programme.

According to a Cabinet decision taken on May 25, 2018, the first batch was recruited on August 20, last year and the second batch on July 30 and 31 this year.

Shantha Bandara tenders resignation

UPFA National List Parliamentarian Shantha Bandara tendered his resignation from the post, Parliament was informed yesterday. Deputy Speaker Ananda Kumarasiri making the SpeakerAnnouncements in Parliament said that MP Bandara had submitted the letter of resignation dated Aug 5.

For signing agreement as Hira Foundation chair and govt MP: Hizbullah in violation of MPstatus since June 2013 - Ashu

One-time UPFA government minister and former Eastern Province Governor M.L.A.M. Hizbullah has been disqualified from being a Member of Parliament from as far back as 11 June 2013, the head of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education - Human Resource Development UNP MP Professor Ashu Marasinghe told Parliament yesterday.

Quoting the Attorney GeneralDepartment, Marasinghe said that in terms of Article 91 (1) (e) of the Constitution, M.L.A.M. Hizbullah has been disqualified from being a Member of Parliament with effect from 11 June 2013, considering the conflict of interest pertaining to the Memorandum of Understanding between Sri Lanka Hira Foundation and the government which was signed by Hizbullah as Hira FoundationChairman while holding a government portfolio.

Marasinghe said that the AGDepartment has observed that there would have been a conflict of interest when Hisbullah signed the said MOU while holding a government portfolio as &no person shall be qualified to be elected as a Member of Parliament or sit and vote in parliament if he has any such interest in and such contract made by or on behalf of the State or a public corporation as Parliament shall by law.&

Marasinghe pointed out that the AGDepartment has also said that in the aforesaid circumstances, action could be initiated against Hizbullah under Article 100 of the Constitution to impose a penalty on him. Accordingly, Professor Marasinghe requested Speaker Karu Jayasuriya to communicate with the Attorney GeneralDepartment about taking further action against Hizbullah.

Marasinghe made these observations joining the adjournment motion moved by JVP MP Nalinda Jayatissa proposing that the government takes over the Batticaloa Sharia Campus and make it a part of the Eastern University.

According to Marasinghe, the AGDepartment made these observations when the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education - Human Resource Development sought legal advice on several issues relating to the establishment of the non-state higher educational institute generally known as Batticaloa Sharia Campus.

Marasinghe also said that the National Secretariat for Non-Government Organizations has informed Hizbullah in 2012 that they are ¬ in a position to register the Hira Foundation as a NGO since the Intelligance Agencies have not recommended the registration of the organization&.

Marasinghe also denied the allegations made by Hizbulla suggesting that the investigation on the Sharia Campus is a personal or a political vendetta. &If someone suggests that the report of this Sectoral Oversight Committee is an opinion of only just one person that is a completely wrong assumption. I spoke about this Campus submitting a private member bill. A private member bill too deals with national problems in this country. We don&t talk about our personal matters through them.&

Marasinghe also requested that the issue relating to the Batticaloa Sharia Campus should not be given a racist definition. &Certain people are trying to make the Batticaloa Campus issue look like a problem which followed the Easter Sunday carnage. The Sectoral Oversight Committee commenced investigating into this campus several months before the terrorist attack. We don&t want any kind of racism anywhere near this issue. This is not a matter of racism in this country, this is a matter of some people trying to manipulate their way by not adhering to the legal system of this country.& he added.

Marasinghe also said that the Sectoral Oversight Committee has forwarded all the 15 recommendations given on the Batticaloa Sharia Campus to the Attorney GeneralDepartment for legal advice. In reply to a point of order raised by JVP MP Bimal Rathnayake, Professor Marasinghe said that the Committee will take measures to lodge complaints with government investigation bodies such as the Criminal Investigation Department and Financial Criminal Investigation Department on the Batticaloa Sharia Campus after it receives legal advice from the AGDepartment. Marasinghe also observed that the government should carry out a comprehensive investigation into the process of establishing the Sharia Campus as well.

Meanwhile, referring to the Article 100 of the Contitution Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) MP Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said that a fine of Rs. 500 could be imposed on Hizbulla lest he would be considered disqualified to remain an MP in Parliament from the date he signed the said MOU.

&Any person who & (a) having been elected a Member of Parliament but not having been at the time of such election qualified to be so elected, shall sit or vote in Parliament; or (b) shall sit or vote in Parliament after his seat therein has become vacant or he has become disqualified from sitting or voting therein; knowing or having reasonable grounds for knowing that he was so disqualified or that his seat has become vacant, as the case may be, shall be liable to a penalty of Five Hundred Rupees for every day upon which he so sits or votes to be recovered as a debt due to the Republic by an action instituted by the Attorney General in the District Court of Colombo.&

&Therefore, all the property belong to this institute should be taken over to the state and operate as a part of the Eastern University of Sri Lanka,& he added.

Government, Opposition MPs debate on Parliamentarians monthly remuneration

Government and Opposition Parliamentarians found fault in President Maithripala Sirisena's statement on the Parliamentarians monthly remuneration, in Parliament yesterday.

President Sirisena on the previous day had stated in public that each MP was drawing Rs. 400,000 month.

Badulla District MP Chaminda Wijesiri said that the President's statement was wrong. He added that the basic salary of an MP is Rs 54,000. "There are other allowances altogether less than Rs.100,000," MP Wijesiri said. "Numerous appointments made by the President to various institutions including the Provincial Councils which are white elephants draining the public funds."

Digamadulla UPFA MP Wimalaweera Dissanayake said no one is getting that amount. He added that all allowances together are less than Rs.300,000. "That is including the attendance allowance, fuel allowance and telephone allowance etc," MP Wimalaweera Dissanayake said. "The total comes around Rs. 260,000 for me because my fuel allowance is calculated according to the distance from Digamadulla."

Matale District UNP MP Rohini Kumari Wijeratna said that the statement was not only wrong but it is malicious too. "His intention seems to put us in difficulty in the eyes of the people. We do not get that much," MP Wijeratne said. "But we do not know whether the MPs representing him have been given such payment."

Kurunegala District UNP MP Thushara Indunil Amarasena said that the President humiliated MPs. He added that they have to spend out of their pockets. "The take home salary does not help us to pass at least two weeks of the month," MP Amarasena said.

Leader of the House Public Enterprise, Kandyan Heritage and Kandy Development Minister Lakshman Kiriella promised the House that he would bring the matter to the notice of the President.

JVP leader speaks on salary annomalies of government employees&

The salaries and allowances of semi government employees' are totally different from that of the government employees and hence the Rs.2,500 interim allowance paid to government employees could not be paid to the semi government employees, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said in Parliament yesterday.

He also said that the interim allowance was paid to government employees in line with the recommendations of the Special Wages Committee appointed by the President to make recommendations on the salary anomalies of government employees.

He added that the same Committee recommended that government servants be paid an interim allowance of Rs.2,500 with effect from July 1 this year until the recommendations of the said committee are fully implemented.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe was speaking in response to a query made by Opposition MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake during the round of questions to be raised from the Prime Minister. He queried as to why the interim allowance paid to government employees from July 1 is not being paid to the Semi Government employees.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe further said that Semi Government employees are being paid comparatively higher salaries. One the other hand they are being granted salary increments and allowances on different occasions even when the government employees are not being paid. He added that there is a considerable disparity of the medical facilities, gratuity and other allowances between the government and semi government facilities.

The Prime Minister said hence the interim allowance could not be paid to the semi government employees, he would inform the Finance Minister about MP Dissanayake's suggestion and would later inform (Dissanayake).

Degree courses to be made private sector job oriented - PM

The attention of the government has been drawn to change the content of the degree courses in government universities to make them private sector job oriented, Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe said in Parliament yesterday.

He also said that following the next election, the government expects to speed up the governments development programmes and to work creating more jobs in the private sector for the graduates than in the government sector. Hence, the government expects to produce able graduates to fill those employment opportunities.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe was speaking in response to a query by Opposition Parliamentarian C.B.Rathnayake during the round of questions to be raised from the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister further said the government initiated the one million employment creation programme to empower the unemployed youth. In addition to it, various loan schemes such as Enterprise Sri Lanka have produced a number of new entrepreneurs in the country. He added that a large number of direct and indirect job opportunities were created with the creation of the Special Economic Zone in Hambantota.

The Prime Minister also said in addition unemployed graduates were provided employment.He said that in two phases, the government offered 3,200 and 16,800 jobs for unemployed graduates of the 54,825 in total.

‘No Sinhala people resettled in Vavunia after tank renovation&

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said in Parliament yesterday that the Sinhala people have not been resettled in Vavunia after renovating a tank named Kachchalsamalakkulama in lands within the Forest Conservation Department.

The Prime Minister also said that no steps have been taken to change the demography in each of the districts and if there was any officer who had done so, he requested that he be informed so that stern action can be taken against such people.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe was responding to a query made by TNA MP Charles Nirmalanathan during the round of questions to be raised from the Prime Minister. He said that Forest Conservations Department has not granted permission to renovate the Nanchundan Tank in Vavunia although the Prime Minister had granted Rs.40 million for this purpose and promised to grant the rest when the renovation initiated.

Premier Wickremesinghe said the Forest Conservation Department had granted them permission to renovate the same tank on April 10 this year. He added that even the Presidential Task Force had discussed the renovation of this tank and had instructed the Forest Conservation Department to grant permission which was later granted.

Some Muslim female students inconvenienced at examination centers - Mujibur

Colombo District UNP MP Mujibur Rahuman participating in the adjournment debate on a motion against Sharia University in Batticaloa pointed out to the House that some Muslim female students had been inconvenienced at examination centers by officials.

"The Muslim female students had gone to the examination centers to sit for the exam wearing the hijab in accordance with the specifications outlined in a circular issued by the Ministry of Education," Rahuman said.

"They did nothing wrong. They had been questioned and obstructed by the invigilators and exam center officials who acted on their own whims. The students had been exercising their right.

We call upon the Ministry of Education to take action and let these students sit for their exams without worrying about their religion," MP Rahuman further said.

When MP Ven. Aturaliya Ratana Thera questioned if the students were wearing their hijab covering their ears or not, MP Rahuman said, "Their ears were open. That is the way outlined in the circular. They cover anything more than what is covered in their pictures in the identity card. We have no problem of following the circular. We agree with it. We do not let them cover their ears. There are some officials who do not respect other religions. They should be prevented implementing their own guidelines."

Cabinet Sub Committee should take decision on Batticaloa Sharia Campus - Hakeem

Sr Lanka Muslim Congress Leader Minister Rauff Hakeem yesterday told Parliament that a decision on the controversial Batticaloa Sharia Campus should be taken by the Cabinet Sub Committee appointed to look into the matter.

Joining the adjournment debate on Batticaloa Sharia Campus, Hakeem said that several proposals have been submitted to the sub committee to decide on the future of the said higher education institute.

"I cannot deliver emotional speeches about this topic as some of the MPs did. The sub committee appointed on this matter is presently considering several options. Dr. Harsha de Silva has proposed to let a Cabinet sub committee to continue to oversee this institute. There is another proposal to establish a separate foundation under a public private partnership and carry out Campus's future activities. So, whatever the decision on this Campus, it will come from the Cabinet sub committee." Hakeem said.

Speaking further, Minister Hakeem also said that whatever the decision arrived at in relation to the Campus, it would be a reference in the process of establishing educational institutes or promoting private higher education in the country.

Education Directortransfer withdrawn

The transfer of Education Ministry Supplies Division Director I.B.C.K.Illangasinghe has been withdrawn by the Education Ministry.

Illangasinghe was suddenly transferred after he went before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry probing allegations of large scale corruption between 2015 and 2018 to give evidence pertaining to a complaint on printing the Education Ministerpicture on school text books.

The Commission, which inquired about this sudden transfer from the Education Ministry Secretary, had asked to cancel it as there was no fair reason for the transfer.

Investigating team to tour Mattala paddy storage facility today

An investigating team of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry probing allegations of large scale corruption between 2015 and 2018 will make an inspection tour today to inquire the alleged loss of storing paddy at Mattala International Airport.

A spokesman of the Commission said several Police officers attached to the Commission and a team of the Government Valuation Department would visit the airport in the morning. The commission the launched the investigation following a complaint received to it.