The cash strapped government continued to dole out bonanza after bonanza to Parliamentarians, this time with the government offering at least 60 MPs the choice between a Rs. 200,000 additional travelling allowance or a high end four-wheel drive Sports Utility Vehicle for which the government will have to pay a monthly rental of Rs. 590,000 per month, per MP.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe
According to the Sunday Times, the increased bonanza is offered to help the MPs carry out their development related work in their respective areas. The Rs. 200,000 travelling allowance is separate to another standard travelling allowance already granted to these MPs.
MPs are currently given a travelling allowance of around Rs. 75,000 a month, while Ministers are paid a monthly travelling allowance of Rs. 175,000.
The Government last week presented the revised Value Added Tax (VAT) Bill to Parliament. When passed, the public will have to pay an additional four percent tax, from the existing 11% VAT. The government has claimed that they have had no choice but to slap on the additional tax on the people as the government is cash strapped and have to pay off the billions of loans taken during the term of former President Mahinda Rajapaksas. The revised 15% will also be applicable for most of the private health care services.
Jagath Fernando / October 9, 2016
These beggars should be asked to go by bullock carts!!
Most of these catchers hardly have any education but mastered the act of thuggery and corruption !!
We idiots delve it for electing these morons as MPs.
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Amarasiri / October 10, 2016
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe
“The cash strapped government continued to dole out bonanza after bonanza to Parliamentarians, this time with the government offering at least 60 MPs the choice between a Rs. 200,000 additional travelling allowance or a high end four-wheel drive Sports Utility Vehicle for which the government will have to pay a monthly rental of Rs. 590,000 per month, per MP.”
Do you think this “Santhosam” will be sufficient to keep them quiet and happy?
Will you increase the taxes by a few percent more?
Is this Bribery?
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Tsylana / October 10, 2016
“”We idiots delve it for electing these morons as MPs. “”
As a society lanka was never civilized- amma nathnam tatha andu to mithuna.- triple screw and lo behold sobitha buddha.
Sinhalese 74% Radical No 74 Moon lunatics.
here is proof- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radical_74
the day citizen lost freedom case number 74 at privy council.
when robertson QC did a brief advising on removal of CJ and future ..74
SINHALA REBELS- 74.
INCREASE OR DECREASE?? `HAIRCUT`- VIDEO ON UTUBE WOULD ENLIGHTEN YOU.
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Don Stanley / October 10, 2016
Sri Lanka has been beggared by its corrupt and criminal politicians – in the SLFP and UNP, who are looting the country while piling up the national DEBT and TAXES on poor people.
This is why today we are in a DEBT TRAP with the Chinese Loans for Mahinda Jarapassa’s white elephant development projects and the IMF loan to pay of Arjuna Mahendran and Perpetual Treasuries.
Given the bi-partisan collaboration to loot Sri Lanka between the corrupt and criminal thugs at the Diyawenna Parliament of morons and the gigantic cabinet, it is not a mystery that FCID has not convicted anyone and the looted funds in overseas off shore bank accounts in Singapore, Dubai and Panama have not been traced and returned to pay off the national debt. OF course the IMF which is the most corrupt of global governance institutions and should be tracking global financial corruption is also party to this system of corruption in support of the Global 1 percent- impoverish the poor and make the rich richer. The result is growing inequality and poverty in Sri Lanka and the world over and spiraling violence and war!
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Kalupahana / October 10, 2016
Not only the present politicians but also past one like Chandrika Kumaratunge (CBK) are a curse on Sri lanka.
They are deadwood like Mahinda Jarapassa, who was defeated but is desperate to capture power.
This caste of political leeches and opportunists are dragging the country down and blocking youth, younger talent and innovation in all sectors and fields because they appoint their old cronies to all posts.
There is a total lack of meritocracy and innovation in Sri Lanka today because of the stranglehold of corrupt politicians and their networks..
CBK has captured various govt. institutions such as South Asia Research Instititute (SAPRI), BCIS, ONUR and blocks younger professionals from taking over and running them. The whole reconciliation process is owned and operated by CBK and her dead wood which also blocks innovation in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
As Mano Ganeshan has said
Reconciliation is a subject under the purview of his ministry. However, the same subject has been given to an authority under the purview of the President. What is more, the same subject comes under the recently appointed Mano Thiththawella, Secretary General of the Secretariat for Coordinating Reconciliation Mechanisms. Also it comes under the Office for National Unity and Reconciliation (ONUR) which is under the guidance of the former President Chandrika Kumaratunga. In the meantime, the same subject has been allocated to Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera.
The fragmentation of policy and the massive waste of funds to keep this expensive politicians circus gowing is paid for by the poor people who have more Taxes on their heads.
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The Oracle / October 10, 2016
The govt has pie in the sky plans to develop SL as an economic powerhouse in the region . Our roads are choc a bloc with hundreds of thousands of three wheelers manned by untrained , undisciplined , unregulated individuals who are a law unto themselves and a menace to drivers who try to obey road rules. They do not have insurance cover for their passengers , nor do they need a special permit to carry fee paying passengers . Has any politician tried to drive in and around Colombo without their convoys to face the harsh reality of the chaos caused by three wheelers on our roads ?
We face a rapidly growing shortage of labour for our industries, and already have Philipinos working in some Colombo restaurants. The ambition of most village youth is to become a three wheeler driver after leaving school . This often exposes them to a life of drug peddling, prostitution and crime ,in a job with no training,EPF/ETF, medical insurance – in short, a dead end job .
Our politicians meantime, carry on regardless. For them ,this vote bank is too large to mess around with , and they are probably happy to have the three wheeler industry remain the fastest growing industry in Sri Lanka . Stop throwing good money after bad on uneducated, untrained , unskilled politicians and sort out the basic problems first .Start training our youth so that they can secure meaningful employment in our industries and become useful citizens of this country .
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jim softy / October 9, 2016
It is Mahinda chintanaya all over again.
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Lester / October 10, 2016
Jim Softly:
No, we need Mahinda again. Look how Gothabaya cleaned up Colombo and built an expressway. BIA project is also Mahinda’s idea. Port idea & Mihin were not good ideas, but Mahinda had at least some clue about infrastructure development. This Sirisena bugger is only interested in planting Bodhi trees in Tokyo and signing off on Geneva Resolutions.
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Lester / October 10, 2016
“The government has claimed that they have had no choice but to slap on the additional tax on the people as the government is cash strapped and have to pay off the billions of loans taken during the term of former President Mahinda Rajapaksas.”
Pay off the billions of loans by allowing MP’s to travel to areas to do developmental work. I could believe it, but what knowledge do these MP’s have about development. Other than starting gunfights (Duminda) or applying the lipstick (Hirunika) or distributing drugs (Mervyn). India also has these dumb politicos, so must be a regional issue. UN should definitely put forth a resolution.
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retsel / October 10, 2016
Lester [Edited out]
bigots cant reason. Your reasoning is as always tangential-
The Mp’s are being pampered to keep Tao on the wall and avoid a fall.
Development would be handled by Indian Institutes with titanium experience overseas. There is much locals would learn and be able to export their services from development.
you have not been exposed even to software giants Infosys at China after 9/11.
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BBS Reps / October 10, 2016
And Emil Van der Poorten and Jehan Perera talk about good governance.
These miserable deal making politicians of all shades have absolutely no idea what ‘good governance’ means.
But on the other hand why bother with ‘good governance’ when the modayas keep electing the same reprobates to positions of power.
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bo / October 10, 2016
This rate is for one man’s travelling, it is incredible how these greedy and corrupt parliamentarians are allowed to get away with these extravagant practices. SLK is a poor country, with its President, PM and ministers loitering around from one foreign capital to another with a begging bowl like “Ahikuntakayas” (Sri lankan gypsies). What handouts they get they squander it all on foreign and imported vehicles yet again. There is no end to the folly of these arrogant wasters.
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Punchi Puta / October 10, 2016
Way to go! Mr. Prime Minister!! Hold an election and see how people react to your Yahapalanaya!!!
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Ranjan Fernando / October 10, 2016
You want to get “From the frying pan in to the fire”?
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Native Vedda / October 10, 2016
Punchi Puta
“Hold an election and see how people react to your Yahapalanaya!!!”
In case if there is a change of government after your proposed elections, remember that would be the last democratic elections you would ever have voted.
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Patriot / October 10, 2016
These are actions of a desperate man trying to stay in power. The MR steam roller is on the move. It is just a matter of time.
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dew / October 10, 2016
Please bring the British back. Let them takeover Sri Lanka.
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shankar / October 10, 2016
unbelievable.
heard that the rajapakshe supported candidates had trashed the siri and ranil clown circus candidates at the cooperative elections.The result is a precursor to the LG elections because these two clowns have no feel on the pulse of the people and are living in their own little world,not in srilanka it seems.
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Punchi Puta / October 11, 2016
To Ranjan Fernando and Native Vedda!
Whether the next election is the 1st or the last, it is THE democratic right of the people, and nobody including the President and/or the Prime Minister should postpone it citing clumsy excuses!
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Lone Wolf / October 11, 2016
Dear Government,
“a Rs. 200,000 additional travelling allowance”
I have read that there are no receipts or other documentation needed to receive this allowance. Can this be true?
Do any of the MPs or ministers from Jaffna Disctrict and other districts of the Northern Province actually live in the district and do developmental work here?
My understanding is that this allowance is meant, for instance, for the chairman/MP of the district development committee. 200,000 is a lot to travel around Jaffna District especially when the MP doesn’t even live here. Same applies to the other districts of the province.
BTW please name the MPs who would receive this allowance in the Northern Province.
Thank you.
I seriously hope that I have totally misunderstood the facts about this additional allowance.
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GH / October 12, 2016
This is a great Mahadhana Muttha Government named Yahapalana, so, its improper to blame MS and Ranil. We must MUM on many a issues to be come in the near future.
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