Cabinet rejects proposal for Rs. 200,000 allowance to MPs

Wednesday, 8 August 2018 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Extra allocation to Govt.
MPs tasked with monitoring development projects

Cabinet has rejected a proposal to offer a Rs. 200,000 allowance to Government parliamentarians engaged in monitoring development projects, a top official told Parliament yesterday.

Leader of the House, Minister Lakshman Kiriella, responding to a question by National Freedom Front (NFF) Leader Wimal Weerawansa, said Cabinet had not greenlighted the proposal when it met on Tuesday. He added the UNP unanimously rejected any salary increments for MPs and Ministers.

Kiriella noted that reports of a party leaders discussion on the possibility of increasing salaries had emerged due to a Parliamentary Resolution adopted on 23 November 2006 that connected lawmaker salaries to the salaries of Supreme Court judges.

“When the issue was discussed on 17 July, all party leaders had been in agreement with the point that the MPs’ salaries must be increased on par with those of the judges,” he said.

MEP Leader Dinesh Gunawardena, acknowledging the discussion at the party leaders meeting, insisted no final decision had been taken.

“It is the Government’s prerogative to take a final decision. We in the Opposition cannot force anything on the Government,” he said.

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