While the public continued to tighten their belts and had to bear the brunt with increased cost of living due to heightened taxes, the cabinet has last night approved the proposal for increase allowances granted to Parliamentarians.
Gayantha Karunatilake
Minister of Parliamentary Reforms & Mass Media, Gayantha Karunathilaka has today said that the proposal would be debated in Parliament soon.
The government has been attempting to grant bonanza after bonanza to MPs since coming to power last year, has proposed that the daily allowance of Rs. 500 given to all MPs be increased to Rs. 2500.
Apart from the increase in the daily allowance, the Cabinet has also approved the proposal for an additional allowance of Rs. 100,000 to be granted to MPs every month, to allow them to carry out their respective work in their respective electorates.
Meanwhile, members in the government benches have also called for an increase in the health insurance provided at present to MPs. Currently; each MP has a health insurance worth Rs. 200,000, which the government MPs wants increased to Rs. 500,000.
The joint opposition has yesterday said they were completely against the monthly allowance of Rs.100,000 to be paid to MPs. “One of the main slogans of the government during the election was against the mega Cabinet of the Rajapaksa government and its excessive spending. The people elected this government expecting a change, but instead of any changes, this government is now paying extra allowances having ignored all its hyped up election propaganda. Is this how it is keeping its promises” Bandula Gunawardane said.
Related posts:
Government Wants Parliament Approval For Rs. 1.1 Billion To Buy 32 Luxury Vehicles For Top Politicos
New MP Vehicle Allowance Bonanza: Maithri In Point-Scoring Exercise
Dr,Rajasingham Narendran / November 30, 2016
Keeping the 2/3rd majority for the government in parliament seems to have become a very expensive! Will the attendance allowance be cut from MPs who fall asleep and/or play computer games in parliament?
Of course, the obvious question do most of our MPs deserve any remuneration at all, considering their qualifications and quality?
Further, is bribery the driving force to achieve Yahapalanaya? What a tragedy?
Should parliament continue to decide on the remuneration and benefits of MPs? Does any other sector in our State have this previlege?
Should not an independent Commission review this issue once in five years?
Dr.Rajasingham Narendran
/
Don Stanley / November 30, 2016
University Students and Civil Society must launch a “day of rage” and country wide protests against Ranil Wickramasinghe, his budget, and FINANCIAL CRIMES AGAINST THE PEOPLE OF SRI LANKA.
Ranil is corrupt to the core and bribing SUV and luxury lifestyle filled politicians in the Parliament of Morons so that they will forget the Ranil-Mahendran Bond Scam.
Ranil Wickramasinghe is taking impunity for corruption and bribery for politicians to a higher level.
Meanwhile VAT tax is loaded onto the poor while the national debt grows, the economy and rupee is collapsing under the weight of maintaining corrupt politicians who are a caste of parasites on the people of Sri Lanka.
Ranil-Sira, UNP-SLFP Jarapalanaya and their immunity and impunity for Financial Crime must end.
/
Dinuk / December 2, 2016
The public should throw stones not at Public Buses, which we desperately need given a pathetic public transport system, but at the tax-free super luxury SUVs of the corrupt politicians.
The new WAR or intefada in Sri Lanka will be the PEOPLE VS. POLITICIANS who are quite right, a corrupt and parasitic caste that is destroying Sri Lankan society and economy in their greed.
What Ranil Wickramasinghe is doing is bribery and corruption in broad daylight.
/
Amarasiri / December 1, 2016
Minister of Parliamentary Reforms & Mass Media, Gayantha Karunathilaka
“The government has been attempting to grant bonanza after bonanza to MPs since coming to power last year, has proposed that the daily allowance of Rs. 500 given to all MPs be increased to Rs. 2500.”
Looks like Mahinda Rajapaksa has trained you well, and you are getting self-trained as well.
A Parliament for Modayas, Mootals, and Fools elected by the Modayas, Mootals, and Fools themselves.
Welcome to the Land of Native Veddfah Aethho occupied by the Paras.
/
Daham / December 2, 2016
“Should not an independent Commission review this(remuneration and benefits of MPs) issue once in five years?”
Yes, in deed. However, can we expect that to happen in this country with full of uncivilized, arrogant bunch of parasites as politicians.
/
max / November 30, 2016
I bet, all the dirty washers of yahapa at CT will come forward to do their job. Cleaning, cleaning and cleaning. But, can they stop the bad smell?
Leelagemalli, Sama, Punchiburampi, Simon de Silva et el.. poor you cant take a break. One after the other. Go on.
/
Justice & Fairplay / November 30, 2016
The two senior “statesmen” should know what is essential is to set an example for others to follow. That means to the entire cabinet, the entire House and then the entire country. The emphasis should have been on DOING THE RIGHT THING at whatever the cost; not doing ANYTHING as long as POWER is retained.
Sadly, good, exemplary conduct and action has been absent on many occasions, even with the big two. The people arent blind.
The plunging of this country into the depths of chaos cannot be avoided, if this is the way this country will be governed.
POWER at any cost? Why not do what is morally right and if you lose POWER, then go home with honour if one has to?
/
Douglas / November 30, 2016
The “Joint Opposition” and JVP have objected to these increases. Let us wait and see whether they would inform the Parliament Secretary of their REFUSAL to accept the increases. Any BETS?
/
justice / November 30, 2016
Why should there be an ‘attendance allowance’ at all?
Their job is to attend parliament for which they are paid a salary, and look after their electorates.
Sri Lanka may be the only country in which, this is paid.
This ‘health insurance’ I hope, is only for their time as MPs.
The vehicle permits bonanza is enough to last a generation, and the pension after only five years “service” in parliament for entire life – the public servant has to work for 40 years for full pension.
/
Lanki / November 30, 2016
This is a reasonable payment. As we all know the MPs’ are expected to give Buriyani when the constituents visit them and at times they have to be provided with bus fare as well. So this payment is a reasonable payment. But at the same time if the MPs’ are caught taking bribe they have to be removed from the Parliament. The new constitution should have a clause with minimum education requirement for MPs’ and also if an MP is charged in a case he has to vacate his seat temporarily until the case is heard. If proven guilty he or she should not be allowed to contest in an election ever again.
/
Upul / December 1, 2016
Years ago becoming a MP is considered a social workers job to help the poor constituents in their electorate. The MP’s elected that time never asked for vehicle permits or allowances to work for the constituents. They even went out of the way, and help them with their own money to help the poor. Nowadays becoming a MP has become a trade. They try to get that place to build their own wealth, not to help the poor. The difference between now and then is, the MP’s then went broke after helping the poor and today MP’s get richer by helping themselves and ignoring the poor.
/
BBS Rep / December 1, 2016
Ah what would one expect from a Sinhala Buddhist nation. All modayas and horas. Talk one thing and do another. Con artists, rogues and fraudsters.
I keep trolling the media and so far have not succeeded in finding a single honest politician in any camp.
This My3 Ranil cocktail is proving to be very toxic to the people in Sri Lanka just as much as the people’s poison that MR was.
Okkama hour.
/
Henry Fernando / December 1, 2016
What a shame and disgrace.Why the hell did we elect these shameless set of individuals.The Minister proudly informs us that Cabinet of Ministers has approved
the proposal and would be debated in parliament.We are eagerly waiting to see who will vote against this proposal. I am afraid if any MP from Govt. opposes this he may be ousted from his position and might even lose his parliamentary privileges. You are either with me or against me.That has been the Govt. Motto and it must be followed
to the very letter. ” Quo Vadis” (Mea Maxima Culpa). May the Triple Gem Bless you.
May the Good Lord bless and keep them from hunger and starvation.
/
jim softy / December 1, 2016
Politicians are like blood sucking leeches. Even the president’s fund is for them. All 225 are ganged to steal from the country. Thye get allowance for everything. Yet, they don’t come to parliament.
First, they don’t repsent people. They all are in Colombo. Why don’t they stay in their elelctorate and work via electronic means.
Now, it is completely fradulent scheme to steal.
/
Diogenes / December 1, 2016
All these traitors deserve to be guillotined!
/
jim softy / December 1, 2016
Ranil wickramasinghe and Maithripala sirisena show their arrogance.
Recently, CBK loaded an article in CT too.
that also looked showing middle finger to the readers in CT>
Because, that is the time, Jaffna Tamils had celebrated Pabakaran’s bith day, Maaveerars birthdays. they had hoiseded LTTE flag, has burned tires infront of an army camp. CBK cane here and wrote about sinhala people talking hate talks while tamils are celebrating ponguthamil. she was silent about it as the authority for Reconciliation.
Anyway, all the politicians are fooling voters. NEws bulletins are there just fir popularity.
/
edeera.w / December 1, 2016
” SCUMBAGS “
/
Funlover / December 1, 2016
Let’s face it. Democracy has failed in Sri Lanka. The leadership of the major political parties are corrupt. There is no practical way the electorates can elect a representative with clean hands. The current Prime Minister is the most corrupt judging by the fact he shamelessly and openly bribes MPs just to keep the votes intact to prolong his corrupt Government. The gimmick of increased allowances is just one of those gimmicks.
I hope that one day soon the earth under Parliament will open up at the most opportune moment to swallow the largest number of MPs including the Prime Minister, his Ministers and Mps and Joint Opposition. Let us pray the President and ex President too will be there when this happens.
Sri Lanka will then get a chance to start afresh with not more than 100 “good” MPs and 15 Ministers. Good luck to us all.
/
Adrian / December 2, 2016
‘Cabinet Approves New MP Bonanza’
When parliament consists of rogue parliamentarians, it is unfair to exercise powers to control salaries of MP’s. This control should be vested in e.g. Election Commissioner with adequate powers enshrined in the constitution with proper formulas. Cabinet is full of prawns.
/
Disgusted / December 3, 2016
The time for massive demonstrations and protests is nigh!
/
SB / December 4, 2016
Well Sirisena and wicramasinghe will get their dues at the next election with out fail . Mainly for trying to hoodwink the voters and for corrupting elected representatives to hold on to power by giving them inducements to say yes to all these absolutly corrupt allowaces while the poor and the retied workers are being taxed even on their retiring benifits and the poor on essential food they consume.
/
Hamlet / December 4, 2016
“….an additional allowance of Rs. 100,000 to be granted to MPs every month, to allow them to carry out their respective work in their respective electorates.”
Do Teachers, Doctors, and Engineers, who have spent Years Training to qualify in order to Practice in their chosen Profession, need to be Bribed to ‘carry out their respective work’?
Why are MPs, (even if not specially Trained), considered a Special Breed? Can’t they function without a Bribe?
/
Charles / December 4, 2016
The Senior citizens were promised 15% interest at the 2015 budget this has been reiterated again in the recent budget. However still this has not been implemented as the Banks have not received any direction from the Treasury. The recent budget has increased the tax on the interest income of the senior citizens.’The senior citizens are silently suffering.
However, it is disappointing to see the perks of the parliamentarians have been increased. They have come to serve the people. Will the JO, the JVP and the TNA accept this increase?
/