Make way for a new mandate: AKD stresses in Parliament

COLOMBO (News 1st); National Peoples Power MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Friday (02) called for a new mandate during the debate on the Budget (Amendment) Bill 2022.

"This government was in favour of the VAT increase to 8 percent. And now, they are in favour of the 15 percent increase. They supported the decision to raise the retirement age to 65. And now they are supporting the decision to bring it down to 60 too. They approved the takeover of state assets like the Hambantota Port and approved the sale of it too. They approved the decision to recruit more public employees and then decided to terminate them," remarked Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

Dissanayake pointed out that the crisis was created by the ruling faction, and appropriate punishment should be imposed on the groups responsible for it.

"Deputy Speaker, should we not punish people who were involved in large-scale corruption such as Ajith Nivard Cabraal and Basil Rajapaksa, who stole millions from the people?" he demanded.

Anura Kumara Dissanayake speaking on wasting public funds recalled instances at SriLankan Airlines where millions were wasted simply because the brother-in-law of Mahinda Rajapaksa could not wait for an hour in Singapore, and called for a separate flight, as well as the deal struck at Chamal Rajapaksa's residence for Airbus planes from France.

"The UK High Court examination revealed that USD 2 Million was deposited to an account linked to Ex-CEO of SriLankan Airlines Kapila Chandrasena, and the Government of Good Governance spent another USD 108 Million simply to terminate the Airbus deal through an SMS from Charitha Ratwatte," he told the house.

In addition, he mentioned that the CPC incurred a loss of 80 billion due to the Hedging Deal, which was presented by the former CBSL Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal. 

He also went on to say that the subject minister at the time when substandard fuel was imported to Sri Lanka was Susil Premajayantha.

He said that buses are deployed from other provinces to Colombo to ferry public servants who were given employment in Colombo, based on promises for jobs for working for election campaign.

Dissanayake emphasized that Sri Lankans must remember that President Wickremesinghe was the one sent home by the public sector, and he in turn wants to retire them soon.

"None of us are denying the fact that Ranil Wickremesinghe's private residence was damaged. We must condemn that. The CID handed over a report to the Fort Magistrate Court that the house and vehicles worth Rs. 205 million were damaged. But the damage incurred to the house was worth only Rs. 14 million, while the damage incurred to the vehicles was Rs. 191 million. So remember, he wants to give State employees electric vehicles, but his own vehicle is worth more than Rs. 191 million. That is why I say that a new mandate is necessary," he concluded.