Govt. defeats UNP no confidence motion with 94-vote majority
Thursday, 22 May 2014 02:06
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JHU Leader votes against motion
Kabir says Govt. does everything contrary to ‘Mahinda Chinthana’
Just an election gimmick: Minister Susil Premajayanth
By Ashwin Hemmathagama Our Lobby Correspondent
The no confidence motion against the UPFA Government was defeated in Parliament by a majority of 94 votes, with Deputy Speaker Chandima Weearakkody taking the division by name.
Fifty-seven Members of Parliament voted in favour of the no confidence motion tabled by the main Opposition United National Party, while 151 voted against.
Jathika Hela Urumaya members of Parliament Patali Champika Ranawaka and Ven. Athuraliye Rathana thero were absent for the vote, but JHU Leader Ven. Ellawala Medhananda Thero voted against the Opposition.
The UNP moved the motion on the basis that the Government had failed to curb the drug menace in Sri Lanka.
The debate on the motion continued yesterday with UNP Chairman and MP Kabir Hashim drawing parallels between religious teachings and the impact of drugs in society.
“Islam prohibits the use of anything that intoxicates. The Buddha has also discoursed that the mind is the cause of everything. This is a more serious problem than terrorism. Let me justify the statement how Sri Lanka is the central distribution centre for this region,” Hashim said.
He added that on 17 May, the Times of India said that contraband substance demand in Sri Lanka has doubled. “Now the heroin demand per annum stands at 1,000kgs,” said MP Hashim.
“Instead of using the conventional smuggling mechanism, the traffickers are using courier services, airlines, and shipments for the transport. The Chinese Government states that instead of becoming a tourism hub after the war, Sri Lanka is becoming more of a drug distribution centre,” the UNP MP said.
He said that according to Police Spokesperson SSP Ajith Rohana, 19,057 people were arrested recently in relation to drugs.
Hashim explained that the former LTTE Chief Weapons Procurer Kumaran Pathmanathan who was directly involved in drugs is now wanted by Interpol.
“Why not turn him over to Interpol? In a report it is stated that he has raised money to procure weapons for the LTTE by dealing in drugs and gold,” he added.
The UNP Parliamentarian charged that the ‘Mahinda Chinthana’ manifesto was constantly preaching something very different to what the Government does.
Outlining the purpose the of the no confidence motion, MP Hashim said: “This is a country that continues to import Vesak lanterns from China rather than manufacturing them here. According to Minister Wimal Weerawansa, economic hit-men run this Government. What more evidence do you want? Unless he is acting, he is also in the same bandwagon that talks about developing the country with a national agenda. This bandwagon contains a wide variety of characters including drug dealers and economic hitmen,” the UNP MP said.
Joining the debate, Minister of Human Resources D.E.W. Gunasekera highlighted the historical importance of no confidence motions moved in Sri Lanka since independence.
“Since the inception of Parliament, 22 no confidence motions were presented. The first no confidence motion was presented in 1949. Now after 20 years of silence since the last time, a no confidence motion has been moved. The Leader of the Opposition has presented this motion, but it is not fundamentally solid. The required proof and evidence is not included,” Minister Gunasekera said.
Tamil National Alliance MP K. Suresh Premachandran, finding fault with the Government for trying to popularise liquor among the Tamils, said: “Tamil people’s issues are not only limited to drugs. They have issues with regards to liquor and cigarettes. As far as the north is concerned, military-conducted sports meet trophies include arrack and other liquors.”
UNP MP Sajith Premadasa criticised the Government for failing to take the same interest in curbing the drug menace that it did to eradicate terrorism.
“In all layers of political circuits, drugs has become a deciding factor. It is true that the Government was successful in eliminating one of the worst terrorist organisations in the world. Modern equipment and tactics were used to reach this target. If so, why not give the same importance to stop the drug-related terrorism? Our military is now used to cattle herding, masonry works of beatification, and stacking sandbags for car races. What prevents the Government from doing what it is supposed to do to eliminate the heroin menace? You can establish a Ministry for this task if needed,” Premadasa asserted.
Environment and Renewable Energy Minister Susil Premajayantha claimed the no confidence motion was merely an election gimmick. “Are you ready to move on with this worst-ever no confidence motion to defeat the Government? The Poison, Opium and Dangerous Drugs Ordinance was amended in 1984. We think that this scenario will be used as a slogan at the forthcoming presidential election,” he said.
Democratic National Alliance MP Ajith Kumara said the UNP’s no confidence motion should have touched upon more areas in which this Government had proven to be failure. “It is not only the drugs but the Government has violated the law on all fronts. This is a Government which went to the extent of removing the eyeballs of students who took to the streets in search of quality education. I don’t think there are any other fronts left for this Government to continue its corruption,” the Parliamentarian said.
According to MP Ranjan Ramanayake, there are 250,000 heroin users in Sri Lanka who are in desperate needs of a daily intake. “Everybody knows that heroin is freely available in Kirulapone, Kolonnawa and Borella. You are using your expertise to ruin your own country. All these speeches will be reported in the Hansard. A few will be identified as those who raised their voices against heroin. During our time drugs were found in small quantities, not more than what you can measure using an ear-pick, but now it comes in kilograms. Those who interrupt me are involved in drug trafficking. We all know that a Provincial Councillor was found with heroin. Even before the raid was concluded, a leader of this country visited him. In the past drug trafficking was manned by merchants; now it is the Government and the politicians leading it.”
