The Yahapalanaya government seems to be focusing more on dolling out bonanzas for the benefit of the 225 members in Parliament, instead to the public, with the new benefit package for the MPs expected to cost the government at least a whopping Rs. 420 million annually.
Hot on the heels of a tax increase and flour price increase slapped on the public last week, the government has decided to offer a special package to the MPs, which includes a monthly addition of Rs.175, 000 for rent, telephones and an office apart from the current benefits they are already enjoying.
According to reports, the new package for the 225 MPs will cost the government an additional Rs.39.4 million per month, and Rs.472.8 million a year, which is in addition to the billions of rupees already been spent on these 225 MPs.
The special package also includes allowances of Rs.2,000 proposed for a sitting in the Constitutional Assembly and Rs.4,000 per sitting in the newly formed Oversight Committees.
Meanwhile, civil society has condemned this latest move. The National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ), Purawesi Balaya and Decent Lanka has called on President Maithripala Sirisena for an explanation on this latest move.
“Those struggling to make ends meet have a right to know what was going on in parliament,” NMSJ convenor Prof. Sarath Wijesooriya and co-convenor of Purawesi Balaya Saman Ratnapriya said.
Prof. Wijesooriya said the government recently proposed to abolish pension rights of those recruited to the public sector beginning this year. Likewise, the government should have proposed the abolition of pension to those elected to parliament beginning this year, Prof. Wijesooriya said, alleging that politicians had turned a blind eye to suffering of the ordinary people.
ballah / March 15, 2016
yamapalanaye is cursed. People are doomed. colombians who voted for this disaster are speechless and looking for shells to hide. Country is going backwards towards the grave. yet some idiots whitewash yamapalane and some may march today asking to provide jobs for indians….
/
sama / March 15, 2016
Ballah no worries, they would recheck this. More criticisms are welcome. But in your god father s days only Rajaakshes decided it for you. That is the greater difference you idiot.
/
ballah / March 15, 2016
sama, i thought you’re in hyde park corner protesting to provide jobs for indians. would the sirikotha pinpadi enough to cover your daily expenses?
/
sama / March 15, 2016
Ballah seems to be appointed to bark for them round the clock.
Your expenses are paid by tax payers funds looted by Rajakashe on broad day light. Meaning you are no better to Raja et al
/
ballah / March 15, 2016
you are still crying about rajapakshe looting….do you mind digging the whole country and finding the treasure? you still believe that. no wonder you are a yamapalana voter
/
sama / March 15, 2016
wait more patiently. Days are numbered. Something big will be revealed soon.
/
ballah / March 15, 2016
days are numbered for yamapalane…something big will be revealed soon like country is bankrupt it would be sold to india and west. what a change. if yamapalakayas are unable then they should kindly resign and let someone who’s capable….LOL
/
Peter / March 15, 2016
Yeah….something big will be revealed but no action will be taken, Keep wathing the drama/carnival.
/
sama / March 15, 2016
We are patient and will succeed everything in the months to come. They are not perfectionists. They have to live up with the same folks and same parliamentarians while fighting for their goals, not an easy task at all since the volks are entwined by the most abusive portions (may be predominant portion withit he nation are corrupted). So the process will take longer than we just guess at. JVPrs are good at working against all these, but nobody can achieve it without figting longer. I am truly against even MPs given more than 1 vehicle – I want them to behave as Dr Dahanayake from Galle behaved to that time. He did not rely on perks. But worked hard for the people. Today the culture is different so peples demands are accoridngly changed. But i know the two leaaders would not abuse tax payers funds as Maharaja did – I have seen how he abused Airlanka flight to Rome – in that play over 150 idiots of then parliment were present for no good reasons, just to please ape miniha. But in the end what happened is evident to this day – Bankrupsy of all levels reached thanks to Maharaja.
/
sama / March 15, 2016
You seem tobe adding thumb ups to your comment.. if you dont have better things to do – so behave Rajaakshe men. Lanka is filled with the kind of modayas, but CT forum is not filled with them luckily.
/
sama / March 15, 2016
You have done one single thing right.
which to use the most appropriate as ur username. Well done Ballah.
But I really dont want to disgrace my dog since he has better qualities he would never go and sit with wrong ones.
/
ballah / March 15, 2016
sama, i can understand your agony for bringing destruction to the country by voting yamapalane. you may have to live with it little longer. but you can’t get away from the blame when your children start cursing you for helping to take country backwards….
/
Girigoris / March 15, 2016
Indha Bow Bow
Were you licking your psoriasis wounds and gulping some leftovers thrown down on the pavements of Colombo.
/
ballah / March 15, 2016
yet another die-hard yamapalana voter…nothing but barking sitting in the darkness…have a koththamalli when you feel thirsty
/
Girigoris / March 15, 2016
Indha Bow Bow
Go on scenting every lamp posts where others of your kind has marked their territory.
/
sama / March 15, 2016
Giri, that is all these buggers cant see it beyond.
They would behave so indifferent even if lovely ones would have been attacked by Rajno et al.
/
Girigoris / March 15, 2016
Indha Bow Bow
Digest this and go to a corner and sleep
One of Africa’s most brutal dictators, accused of cannibalism and feeding his opponents to animals … was the self-crowned emperor of the Central African Republic (CAR) until he was ousted in 1979. He fathered 62 children and his coronation, based on that of Napoleon, cost his country’s entire GDP….”
/
ballah / March 16, 2016
girigoris, isn’t the rice packet and arrack enough for you from sirikotha?
/
Girigoris / March 16, 2016
Indha Bow Bow
It is better than the Kassia of your area.
/
max / March 15, 2016
This damn “palanaya” is good for hypocrites like ‘sama’. What they all know is screaming at Rajapakshas for everything. Even for the farts that go out from their asses. Sad!
/
sama / March 15, 2016
Max- the ilk you represent would be so happy to have hired you. But I would never allow idiots to abuse my folks. So the gap is still stay widen between mine and yours -that can take years to head off from the mess left by Mahraja. You guys have been intoxicated by his magical powers- but there are enough people that have fed up of MR nature. My granny said to me once, only the qulified should get the due. I am no against MR himself, but his governance letting any idiots to do whatever they think is right almost killed us. Society is fallen to deteriorated level due to his negligence to enforce law and order in this country. Like or not, not many would be happy the kind of politics on long term.
/
sama / March 15, 2016
Damn rule of law is good for anyone and everyone. I am used to that having lived on the west for last two decades.
I am to law and order unlike you guys. Each time when visiting to lanka – I am very upset alone looking at the manner immigration offiers being untrained and not smart enough. Last time I happened to hear one of my colleagues /european nation saying this is an another country with no laws. But his friends had visited the country after the 8th Jan 2015, they themselves made it clear today the change is tangible. These are not from my eyes.
You guys would go licking the balls of any thuggish men not caring the harm being done by them and you. For me I wish laws and their actions in my home country would be alike to those of Germany/Singapore -then only people can be tamed accordingly. Law is equal to all.
/
ballah / March 16, 2016
stop bragging about your life in west….people know what their lifestyle is when they start bragging…..refugee
/
Oma Yang / March 15, 2016
I am not gonna pay Taxes hereafter. I don’t mind being arrested for tax evasion, and would rather not see my hard earned money to pamper these scoundrels.
Lets stand up to ensure MPs are forced to pay taxes. Their salaries and perks plus underhand dealings earn them more than what a common man can only dream of.
/
Ben Hurling / March 15, 2016
Abominable!
Indeed. It is not enough to protest. Time to act has come.
There is no reason what so ever for people who pay taxes to accept this kind of robbery from public funds.
Some kind of non-violent, civil disobedience is needed. Somebody must come forward to lead that fight.
No MP in this impoverished country, in deep debt with hardly any good public transport needs luxurious vehicles to run around on our congested roads. All this must be curtailed.
Where is the Parliamentary opposition? Are they asleep? Do they care at all? We hardly hear anything from them. Just where are they? Official opposition must mobilize the people. Instead we have Coconut Thieves Collective holding daily news conferences.
Cheers!
/
paul / March 15, 2016
Suppose we think the unthinkable. Due to a lack of upright sincere people the nation is forever doomed to be ruled by corrupt thieving despots.
One of these despots defeated terrorism, built highways, shopping malls harbors, started huge infrastructure projects, cleared slums, beautified the capitol, extended his reach into other cities.
So is this the sort of despot we should keep in power?
(This is a question, not an opinion)
/
Sinhala_Man / March 15, 2016
Dear “paul”,
I understand the desperation in your question; it is one which we all share.
It is worrying. Parliamentary elections were held sooo recently, and we can’t have a new parliament for four years, or so the present Constitutional Laws appear to say. The importance to take the country (and the SLFP) away from the Rajapaksas is very important, but if this is the price that we have to pay, we have to ask if it is worth it.
I’m old; and I don’t want revolutions. But the end result could be that. I as sad and as lost for words as you.
/
Daham / March 15, 2016
Be happy about what they are up to. Let the politicians rob the people, earn more and more, eat more and more and get fatter and fatter which will lead to high cholesterol, high pressure, diabetes and eventually people will be able to breathe a great sigh of relief when all politicians die.
/
Peter / March 15, 2016
“
…….and eventually people will be able to breathe a great sigh of relief when all politicians die”
Daham…it is always nice to have funny dreams. But, the reality is these bandit vultures when get lavishly fed by tax payers their span of life time keep expanding and they keep producing more and more bandits. Time to time they go to some foreign country (USA, Singapore, and so on) for a nice holiday and total medical check up.
/
levi / March 16, 2016
daham
Don’t be so optimistic. The Politicians are sure to leave many more offsprings before they succumb.
meantime we will be paying their medical bills too from out taxes.
The Politicians are very much more fertile than us.
levi
/
KA Sumanasekera / March 15, 2016
While watching Baralanada Ranil having a go at the Opposition calling them Aru. Muu Reeri Yaka , Gas Gemba,Padada a ect, (sorry I don’t know the English terms ) what I noticed his bulging waist line.
At his age it is lethal. I am glad the Yahapalanana Budget has granted him extra LKR to pay Gym fees and a course of Statins to reduce the Bad Cholesterol.
The dude in the photo perhaps should go for stomach stapling at Nawaloka or Malabe Teaching Hospital with that extra 250 thou….
/
Anura / March 15, 2016
My God. It’s a day light robbery of the people. What they are doing to the people, they went to the parliament to serve the people but not to suck their blood dry. It is time for the people to come on the streets to stop this nonsense. They are loading all the burdens on the people while make merry on people’s expense. In this hard time, it’s they who should set the examples for all. All what they get now are good and enough for them for many years to come. What difference they made in our life being in the house for so long but day by day people have to face never ending hardships due these scoundrels. They don’t have any feeling for the people or the country. All these greedy lot want is to fatten them by any means and at any cost. They are really cursed lot for giving so much pain to people.
/
Punitham / March 15, 2016
Mahanayakes advice UNHRC Chief, not the Sri Lankan parlaiemntarians, what is good for Sri Lanka.
/
Antany Peter / March 15, 2016
Recently, I saw an employment advertisement for a stenographer for the Sri Lankan Parliament. The salary was Rs 360000 a month. I thought the amount of salary was a typing error. Surely, the least educated are making the most of it. Welcome to wonder of Asia.
/
Sinhala_Man / March 16, 2016
I think that stenography is becoming obsolete.
What you have seen is interesting. It would be difficult to find a good young stenographer today. But yes, the salary is amazing.
To get back to the context, the variations of remuneration mind-boggling.
/
Douglas / March 15, 2016
Oma Yang: A good and a practical solution. Will all those objecting to this “Day Light Robbery” by the Peoples’ Representatives REFRAIN from paying taxes, even at the risk of getting prosecuted.? The Civil Society must resolve not to allow this to go through. I would like to suggest one more proposal. All the MPs who accept this increase in emoluments must be “Opposed and Obstructed” from attending to the Public affairs. They must be treated as ROBBERS of Public Funds and condemned. Let us see how many of the Parliamentarians would be accepting this increased payments. Will the JVP and the so called “Common Opposition” come out and carry on PUBLIC PROTESTS and lead the PEOPLE to protests until the proposal is withdrawn?
/
Spring Koha / March 15, 2016
The cursed Sri Lankan political tradition of paying to keep political support is alive and well. As long as we allow our political parties to put forward crooks and thugs for election, WE the people are doomed? They will take office, loot the public purse, then ask us to bend over as well.
It is clear that even our leaders (yes, that is you MS, and you too RW) are resigned to turning a blind eye. They pretend NOT to know. They pretend NOT to understand, that WE elect people to serve us, NOT screw us.
There is no hope on the horizon for WE the people. Api malla…………
/
CITIZEN / March 15, 2016
I do not know what was the imperative need for this package of bonanza for the MPs. It is simply senselessness and callousness on the part of the Government to do a thing like this when there is so much of the people’s problems to be solved and especially when new burdens have been imposed on them! It is disgraceful and I do hope sanity will prevail on those who are responsible to avoid the people’s wrath!!
/
CITIZEN / March 15, 2016
I do not know what was the imperative need for this package of bonanza for the MPs. It is simply senselessness and callousness on the part of the Government to do a thing like this when there is so much of the people’s problems to be solved and especially when new burdens have been imposed on them! It is disgraceful and I do hope sanity will prevail on those who are responsible to avoid the people’s wrath!! We all know most of these MPs have houses in Colombo then others from out Colombo have the residential facility at Madiwela. The vehicles given to them with fuel and driver are used for domestic purposes and the MPs use vehicles released to them, with fuel and driver, through the good offices of some Ministers. These and many more privileges they enjoy and on top of them all the Govt. to give them more when the masses are deprived, it is total “INSENSITIVITY” of the Govt, to say the least!
/
Ding Dang / March 15, 2016
Sama must be an idiot who licks back of politicians. These idiots are worse than the politicians themselves. The politicians can thrive with the help of the idiots like sama. These are the enemies of our nation, as long as these idiots are there we will not succeed.
/
f=ma / March 15, 2016
don’t worry, the people who voted for borupalanaya are concerned about the welfare of these beggars that they are willing to pay extra for their bread and hoppers, endure power-cuts etc.
meanwhile the common man has to cut their food and living expenses…
I don’t mind paying them if they are actually doing their job or service to the country. People must remind them that they are just public SERVANTS.
/
Daya Weerasinghe / March 16, 2016
Its all the same old crap with different names.Nepotism,political recruitments and corrupt politicians in the parliment….!
/
jimsofty / March 16, 2016
what a nasty surprise for Sri lankan voters.
Every where lies and cheating all from the yahapalana govt.
/
jimsofty / March 16, 2016
Only difference of yahapalanaya is becuse of personal hatred of former Presidenr CBK against Mahinda Rajapakse, people could find how politicians steal and get rich fast and why every body is so eager to become a politicians.
Simply, they are there to steal from the country and get rich.
Other than, all the politicians are the same. they are there to cheat people and get rich.
Journalists help them by lieing to people and they have their lives too.
/
Ruvan / March 17, 2016
To Sama and other Yahapalana supporters!
This is what Gatambe chief prelate says about Yahapalanaya when President Sirisena made a courtesy visit to his temple:
“Even though there were allegations against former President Mahinda Rajapaksa he didn’t do any harm to the country and he was a leader who protected the country from terrorism,” the Prelate said.
Although the present government promised many things in its election manifesto before coming to power, it had failed to make good of what it promised, Ven Siriwimala said.
He told the President that the crime rate was too high and the underworld was raising its ugly head.
Sama! Any comments?
/
K.Anaga / March 19, 2016
Over Rs.400 million per year in addition what they already get?Crime against humanity.This money is enough to put up at least 500 houses per annum to the war displaced. But Who cares? What Rajapakse regime made illegally is being given a legal CLOAK by the Yahapalanaya. Why can’t all the law ‘breakers’ get together and solve the problems of the people.?
/