Opposition unhappy over Ministers avoiding questions raised in Parliament

• JVP leader incensed over his questions being ignored 
• Appeals to Speaker to ask Ministers to respond in timely manner 
• Leader of the House says he has no power to order Ministers to respond 

By Ashwin Hemmathagama 

– Our Lobby Correspondent

Primary Industries and Social Empowerment Minister Daya Gamage’s alleged involvement in raising Rs. 300 million from Samurdhi recipients for propaganda activities attracted heavy criticism from the Opposition yesterday in Parliament. 

According to Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) MP Anura Dissanayake, Minister Gamage has wasted Rs. 500/- illegally collected from each Samurdhi recipient for useless activities and keeps avoiding the questions raised in the Parliament. 

MP Dissanayake demanding to know the status of responses anticipated from the Government said: “Recently I questioned Minister Daya Gamage in Parliament for raising approximately Rs. 300 million by charging 600,000 Samurdhi recipients. Minister Gamage has spent this money on printing posters and t-shirts used for propaganda. I demand he name the particular garment factory which was used to produce the t-shirts.”

According to the JVP MP, not only Minister Gamage but Minister of Ports and Shipping and Southern Development Sagala Rathnayaka is also to respond to another set of questions raised in the Parliament. “The Leader of the House promised to reply soon after Minister Sagala Rathnayaka returns to the country. He was away when I raised the questions in Parliament. But he is yet to deliver the answers,” held MP Dissanayake who blamed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe for being concerned about the electricity bill of United National Party (UNP) Headquarters Sirikotha rather than operations of the Government. 

In response, Leader of the House Lakshman Kiriella held he is helpless if the Ministers avoid responding. Seeking Speaker to penalise the Ministers for violating the Standing Orders, Kiriella said: “The Leader of the House can only request that these Ministers reply. During the recent Cabinet Meeting, I reminded Minister Daya Gamage to reply to these pending questions. We even got in touch with his secretaries by telephone as well as in writing seeking the responses. I request the Speaker to take a decision whereas I am unable to penalise them.”

Meanwhile, United Peoples’ Freedom Alliance (UPFA) MP Mahinda Amaraweera held that Minister Gamage’s actions led to incurring further losses to Samurdhi recipients. “These are serious charges. It is not just Rs. 300 million but many other costs need to be added. The Samurdhi banks were instructed to make cut-outs using their own funds and the vehicles were to be hired to transport people for the functions. This is a considerable waste. The Cabinet Minister should be able to respond to these charges in the Parliament,” he said.

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya is expected to remind Minister Daya Gamage to respond to the pending questions.