550,000 employees won't be paid due to defeated expenditure heads

by Staff Writer 01-04-2019 | 9:33 PM

COLOMBO (News 1st) - A heated debate took place in parliament today (April 01) regarding the defeated expenditure heads. UPFA MP, Bandula Gunawardana noted that following the defeat of two heads of expenditure, the subject minister and the Prime Minister had made statements, that they are unable to pay salaries for 550,000 employees. He noted that it was not ethical to take matters beyond the parliament and misguide the public with misinformation. He added that the statements were

inaccurate regarding the salaries as an interim budget had been approved until April. He noted that until the b

udget is approved a supplementary estimate is in effect, additionally, there is also a separate account in the treasury to pay for emergency situations such as this. He added that just like the opposition leader Mahinda Rajapaksa suggested the government can discuss with the opposition and get the cabinet approval for the supplementary estimate. Minister Lakshman Kiriella, leader of the House noted that this crisis could have been averted if they had stuck to the decision made at the party leaders meeting but unfortunately the agreement was breached. Nalinda Jayatissa, JVP MP shared that before the statement made by the Prime Minister about salaries during the weekend, the Prime Minister made a statement in parliament that only Rs.320 has been reduced due to the defeat of the expenditure heads. He added that prime minister implied that it sounded like it won't be an issue.