JVP unhappy over delays in getting info on Presidential tours

• Speaker directs Kiriella to look into issue after Presidential Secretariat delays information for one year 

The Presidential Secretariat failing to provide the details of the foreign visits of the past Presidents since 2013 came under fire yesterday at Parliament, with members of the JVP seeking the Speaker’s intervention to prevent delays in reply.

JVP MP Bimal Rathnayake, highlighting the question submitted in June 2018 for oral answer, and seeking the details of the foreign tours of Presidents since 2013, held that the reply was postponed twice.

“This question was raised for the second time. Today, the answer was postponed by another six months. The Presidents don’t use their private money for foreign trips, and the finance authority is vested with Parliament. We raised this particular question a year ago and to date, no answer was given,” charged MP Rathnayake.

JVP MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake, seeking the Speaker’s intervention, held the details of foreign trips are necessary to assess the benefits the country received, along with many other related details.

“This is an important question, whereas the Parliament should know where he went, for what he went, and what benefits the country received from the particular trip, in addition to the names of those who accompanied the President in these trips, as well as the cost incurred. It is unfair to seek another six months. Why would it need one and a half years to answer with the details of foreign trips of the President?” challenged MP Dissanayake.

In response, Speaker Karu Jayasuriya directed the Leader of the House to take action to prevent the delay. (AH)