Should we continue to support our party?-UNP MP Chaminda Wijesiri

COLOMBO (News 1st) - MP Thushara Indunil posed a question to the Minister of Disaster Management regarding the communities affected by the drought in the Kurunegala District. Gayantha Karunatileka, Minister of Lands and Parliamentary Reforms responded that based on a report dated on the 03rd of July 2019, the number of affected families by the drought in the Kurunegala district was 4399. UNP MP Thushara Indunil noted that he was not satisfied with the figures and it was ideal for the subject minister to respond to these questions. He implied the figures should be much higher than that and the role of the Ministry of Disaster Management needs to be questioned as well. Backbench MP Hesha Vithanage raised a question on the rural bridge project launched by the Ministry of Local Government during the period of the National Government. Minister Wajira Abeywardana, Internal & Home Affairs and Provincial Councils & Local Government noted that the ministry did not produce a plan for the construction of 500 bridges. UNP MP, Hesha Vithanage questioned if there were no project, how were 12 bridges constructed in his electorate during the tenure of former Minister Faiszer Musthapha. Minister Wajira Abeywardana stated that the previous agreements were over and two new agreements presented by the Prime Minister are to be implemented via the Ministry of National Policies. UNP MP Chaminda Wijesiri shared that SLFP MPs were connected with this Ministry for a long period when the National Government was in effect and during the time of the SLFP minister measures were taken to construct bridges in our district. He added that they were aware that the ministry received a large sum of money for the program to construct the bridges. He added that the construction of bridges was carried out in a discriminating manner and inquired whether the minister could come up with bridges constructed for each district. MP finally commented in a disappointed tone that they are at a crossroad; whether they should remain with the government and support it in the future. Minister Wajira Abeywardana noted that the special attention was given to the North and East in the construction of bridges and added that if the MP had a number of bridges required for his electorate they could be added to the two new agreements. On the 27th of March 2018, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as the Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs and Faiszer Musthapha as the Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Government produced a Joint Cabinet Paper for the construction of 250 rural bridges. The objective was to further enhance the Rural Bridges Project which was launched in 2014. The Cabinet paper requested approval to obtain additional financing from the German Deutsche Bank and the Danish Rabo Bank to procure and construct approximately 250 additional bridges. The proposal seeks approval for the construction of these bridges be given to British and Dutch Companies which undertook the previous projects. For the construction of 250 additional bridges, a sum of almost Rs 10 billion was required. The UK Construction firm had proposed just over GBP 49 million - which is almost Rs 10 billion. The Dutch Construction firm had proposed just over Euro 52 million - which is almost Rs 9.9 billion. Under this project, a number of bridges were constructed in the Killinochchi District at Killinochchi, Murasu-Mottai, Aiyen, Kovil-Adi, and Vattaktchchi. These bridges are already in a dilapidated state. The locals allege the bridges became nearly unserviceable in a few months after construction because of the substandard construction material. Ruling Party MPs were vocal in Parliament today over the responses given to them for questions posed earlier.