Sri Lanka not alone in valiant effort to come out of serious economic crisis – Minister Dinesh
Sri Lanka is not alone in its valiant effort to come out from the serious economic crisis that it is going through due to the pandemic, the Leader of the House, Education Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said in Parliament yesterday (20).
The Minister said that many countries and organisations with which Sri Lanka maintained solid relationships have come forward to assist the country to manage its economic crisis. “These countries and global organisations have not yet lost faith in our country. They are willing to help us while we remain a free country upholding our sovereignty,” the Minister added.
Minister Gunawardena was commencing the second day of the debate on the statement of the Government policy by the President in Parliament at the Ceremonial Opening of the Second Session of the 9th Parliament on Tuesday (18).
Minister Gunawardena said that the Government of Sri Lanka signed the Declaration to join the Global School Meal Programme at a meeting between the Education Minister and the World Food Programme representatives recently.
Minister Gunawardena said that the report on global economic perspective very clearly shows that there is inequality growing across the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “This is what COVID has produced. The world is undergoing exceptional uncertainty due to the pandemic. This report calls to soften global inequality. It requests for a concerted effort to mobilise external resources to tolerate debt relief,” the Minister said.
“President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has come to Parliament as the Head of State to explain to the ruling party and the Opposition the challenges we face as a country right now. From the day this Government came into power, just like almost all other countries, it had to face the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the proper decisions made by the President, the pandemic in our country has been brought under control. Every country still faces the challenge of managing the future with this pandemic. It is not a good thing for the Opposition to question and act in Parliament as if it does not know about this crisis. This situation has engulfed all the world’s economies. For controlling the pandemic, the President first took steps to protect the lives of the people. We will have to face some economic difficulties as a result,” The Minister said.
Minister Gunawardena also said that it is normal for everyone to experience some kind of economic downturn following the pandemic. “The latest report on global economic prospects clearly presents the economic crisis that Asian countries are facing due to the pandemic. It also explains that our country is making some progress. However, we will have to work under very serious circumstances in the face of the challenges ahead. Therefore, the President has put forward a number of short and long-term policies to overcome this situation. Strengthening the agriculture based economy in particular is seen as one of the best ways out of this situation. This includes strengthening plantation agriculture as well as agro-based crops. The President explained the need for a cultivation revolution to use uncultivated lands,” the Minister said.
Minister Gunawardena also said that strategic plans will be implemented to recover the agriculture sector, commercial crops, tourism and foreign exchange revenue. “We are not alone. Many countries have come forward to support us in various fields. We need to open up new development avenues locally. We have already started doing it,” the Minister said.
Agreement with India on Trinco Oil Tank Complex expected to be tabled on February 8 – Minister Gammanpila
Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila said in Parliament yesterday that the agreement signed with India on the Trincomalee Oil Tank Complex is expected to be tabled on February 8 and that there is no other agreement in the history of Sri Lanka that has been signed in such a transparent manner.
The Minister was speaking at the Adjournment Debate on the Government’s policy statement by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on January 18.
The Minister also said that the country is in an economic crisis not only because of the corona pandemic, but also because of the economic crisis caused by borrowing more than the income over the years since 1955.
“This economic crisis was snowballing over the years and was inevitable that it was going to explode in the next five years. But the bursting of this bubble was only expedited by corona and certainly not because of corona itself,” the Minister said.
The Minister also said that by March, five major crises were imminent. “Everyone, regardless of party affiliation, had contributed to this economic crisis,” the Minister said.
The Minister added that every government in the history has contributed to the crisis. The Minister also said that party differences should be set aside and a national programme should be launched to overcome the economic crisis.
The Minister also accused the Opposition of presenting false statistics on the policy statement by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the opening of the Second Session of the 9th Parliament.
Inflation rate increase has fair reasons – Minister Vasudeva
The inflation rate increase was a result of the drop of the local production in the COVID 19 pandemic era and the increase of the prices of commodities in the world market, Water Supply Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara said in Parliament yesterday.
The Minister was participating in the Adjournment Debate on its second day on the Government’s Policy Statement by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in Parliament on Tuesday.
Minister Vasudeva also said that the Opposition MPs said that Sri Lanka reports the worst drop of the foreign reserves in the region and added that this should be correctly interpreted that the Sri Lanka’s foreign reserve sources are the Tourism Industry and the remittances by the foreign employees. The Minister also said that both were affected by the COVID 19 pandemic, while many other countries in the region have other sources of income such as minerals.
The Minister also said that the country had to increase the expenditure to provide relief to the people who were affected by the COVID 19 pandemic and it affected the budget deficit.
Minister Vasudeva also said that the Opposition should be more responsible in such a pandemic situation. “Many countries have been affected and closed down even yesterday. South East Asia has become the region with the highest number of COVID 19 patients,” the Minister said.
The Minister asked the people whether they could be happy about the situation in this country as a result of the Government’s COVID pandemic control programme.
“The Opposition failed to speak of the settlement of USD 500 million, which was taken to resolve the issue of the Sovereign Bonds scam during the previous government,” the Minister said.
The Minister also said that the Opposition did not appreciate the Government’s grant of Rs. 5,000 to the people during the period when the country was closed down due to the COVID pandemic.
Development projects implemented in every region without discrimination – Minister Amaraweera
The Government provides facilities to all the people and has initiated development programmes across the country in the North and the East and the rest of the country alike without any discrimination, Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said in Parliament yesterday.
The Minister also said that MP Sritharan in his statement said that the Government neglected the people of the North, which is totally misleading. The Minister added that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has initiated a development mechanism for communities. Even during the former Mahinda Rajapaksa tenure, massive schemes such as Uthuru Wasanthaya (Northern Spring) and Negenahira Navodaya (Eastern Revival) to develop those areas.
The Minister added that those MPs do not appreciate them. The Minister also said that although the People of North and East would not vote for this Government at elections, the development programmes in North and East will continue.
The Minister was participating in the Adjournment Debate on its Second Day on the Government’s Policy Statement by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in Parliament on Tuesday.
The Minister also said that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has drawn more attention to renewable energy than any other leader and 70 per cent of the energy will be taken from renewable energy sources such as wind and solar by 2030. The Minister added that the President encourages the import of electric cars.
The Minister also said that the Opposition Leader spoke negatively of the 70-77 era. “Actually the country began to become self-sufficient during this period including the industrial sector. The Minister added that the destruction of the country commenced after 1978.
“If we need to develop the country, what we have to do is to re-implement the 70-77 mechanism leaving aside its negative features,” Minister Mahinda Aaraweera said. “Had we continued the same programme, we wouldn’t be dependent on other countries for food or other productions today,” the Minister said.
The Minister added that the country has taken many loans and all the parties did the same when they were in power. The Minister also said that the country has to study if the objectives of taking those loans have been achieved.
The Minister also said that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has recommenced the programmes in the 1970-77. The Minister also said that the local production of the country is now booming.
Two Tax Bills presented
The Special Goods and Services Tax Bill and the Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill were presented in Parliament yesterday.
The Special GST Bill is presented to provide to impose a special goods and services tax, in terms of the amount chargeable on specified goods and services by way of tax, duty, levy, or any other charge imposed by law; to promote self-compliance in the payment of taxes to ensure greater efficiency in relation to the collection and administration or such taxes and related matters.
The Second Reading of the Bill will take place today.
Inconsistency in policies resulted in economic crisis – State Minister Godahewa
One of the major reasons behind Sri Lanka’s economic crisis is the inconsistency in economic policies followed by the country, Urban Development, Waste Disposal and Community Cleanliness State Minister Nalaka Godahewa said in Parliament yesterday. The State Minister said that the economic policies were drastically changed whenever the ruling party changed.
State Minister Godahewa was participating in the Second Day of the Debate on the Statement of the Government’s Policy by the President in Parliament at the Ceremonial Opening of the Second Session of the 9th Parliament on Tuesday.
State Minister Godahewa said that after the drastic economic policy changes by former President J.R. Jayewardene when shifting to open economy policy, the most serious economic policy change was done when the Yahapalana government was elected.
“Due to such drastic economic policy changes, we suffered losses in time and opportunity. S, we need to establish a solid economic policy at least to make our future better. During the President’s speech on the Ggovernment’s Policy Statement, it was clear that the Government has not wavered in its policies despite the drawbacks caused by the pandemic.” State Minister Godahewa said.
State Minister Godahewa also said that a majority of housing scheme projects launched focusing on low and middle income families will be completed by the mid of this year.
The State Minister also said that Sri Lanka should focus on industrial and manufacturing sectors as it lacks nothing to become an industrial country.
“Many countries like China, Taiwan and Malaysia have become developed countries since their economies were focused on the Industrial Sector,” the State Minister said.
Dreams of those in power haven’t been realised – MP Eran
None of the dreams for the country has been realised, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Parliamentarian Eran Wickramaratne said in Parliament yesterday.
The MP said that those in power blamed the COVID for this incapacity but it is not true.
MP Eran was participating in the Adjournment Debate on its Second Day on the Government’s Policy Statement by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in Parliament on Tuesday.
The MP also said that the Parliament sittings has commenced after a bizarre prorogation of Parliament and added that the ruling party has crafted a policy for Sinhala hegemony. “The One law One country Presidential Task Force has extended this hegemony in terms of the law,” the MP said.
MP Eran said that the dead bodies of the Muslim COVID 19 patients were taken to the crematorium disregarding the views of the scientific communities. “Such an administration is advising others not to be racists,” the MP said.
MP Eran said that the representatives of the North and East were invited to assist the Government to develop those areas, but the MPs from those areas has not been asked for their views. “The Catholics, meanwhile, demand justice over the deaths at the churches on Easter Sunday,” the MP said.
MP Eran also said that housewives in the kitchen are insecure as gas cylinders are exploding. The MP asked how national security would be secured under such an administration.
New Members to Parliamentary Business Committee
Speaker of Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena announced to the House yesterday that new Members for the Committee on Parliamentary Business have been appointed in terms of the provisions of Standing Order 115 of Parliament and the Motion agreed to by Parliament.
Accordingly, the Speaker as the Chair, the Deputy Speaker, the Deputy Chairperson of Committees, the Leader of the House of Parliament, the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, the Chief Government Whip and the Chief Opposition Whip and 21 other members were appointed as members.
The Speaker nominated 20 Parliamentarians yesterday and one more will be appointed in the future.
The names of the Members nominated yesterday are Chamal Rajapaksa, Nimal Siripala de Silva, Prof. G. L. Peiris, Douglas Devananda, Dullas Alahapperuma, Wimal Weerawansa, Basil Rohana Rajapaksa, Mahinda Amaraweera, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Prasanna Ranatunga, M. U. M. Ali Sabry, PC, Gayantha Karunatilleka, Rauff Hakeem, Anura Dissanayaka, Dilan Perera, Rishad Bathiudeen, R. M. Ranjith Madduma Bandara, Mano Ganesan, G. G. Ponnambalam and M. A. Sumanthiran.
Adjournment Debate continues
The Adjournment Debate held on January 19 and 20 on the Government Policy Statement by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the opening of the Second Session of the 9th Parliament continues today as well, Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake said.
It is held from 10 am to 5.30 pm with the consent of the Government and the Opposition. Time has been allotted from 12.30 pm to 1.30 pm for lunch.
Korean Speaker in Parliament today
The Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, Park Byeong-Seug, who arrived in Sri Lanka Wednesday (19) on a four-day official tour, visits Parliament today (21).
The Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, who arrived in Sri Lanka on the invitation of Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, will arrive in Parliament at 10 am. Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake and Sergeant-at-Arms Narendra Fernando will welcome the Speaker of the Republic of Korea and his delegation.
Thereafter, the Speaker of the Republic of Korea will pay a courtesy call on Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena and then observe Proceedings of the House from the VIP Gallery.
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