PM to appoint monitoring MPs with added perks

Colombo (News1st) -  Reports are emerging that there is an attempt to provide a benefits package to parliamentarians of the ruling party, worth over Rs. 300 000, in addition to the salary and other benefits that already receive. The Ceylon Today and the Mawbima newspapers reported today that the government is planning to appoint all Government Members of Parliament as Monitoring MPs to Ministries. The reports also state that the additional duties for the MPs will come with an allowance of Rs 75,000 per month, vehicles and an office. A Parliamentarian receives a monthly salary of Rs. 54,000. Their income increases to around Rs 100,000 when taking into consideration the office maintenance costs and staff wages granted to the MPS. Rs. 6000 is granted monthly, for stationary and an allowance of Rs 2500 rupees is provided for each sitting the parliamentarian attends. Depending on where the parliamentarian resides he is able to receive Rs. 5000 rupees as fuel charges and a payment for his mobile phone. It is expected that the monitoring MPs will receive these benefits as well as the proposed new benefits. Acting Minister of Transport Ashok Abeysinghe speaking to the media stated that no appointments have been made and that the idea to implement this plan was put forward by the Prime Minister himself. UNP backbencher Heshan Vithanage who was one of the agitators for change in the UNP when the No confidence motion against the Prime Minister was presented said today that he does not believe that the Prime Minister's plan is to provide any gratification to them. He noted that with the additional funds they would be able to better help the people. Vithanage was also adamant that he would not accept the positions if he could not take up any responsibility. Ministers Duminda Dissanayake and Mahinda Amaraweera also commented on the matter and stated that this is nothing special as it is done by every administration.