There were no cross overs from the UPFA opposition benches to the government side despite claims by Cabinet Spokesman Rajitha Senaratne that at least five UPFA rebels will cross the divide during voting time at the end of the second reading of the budget.
“It looks like the cabinet spokesman has misled the public once again“, a political observer told Colombo Telegraph.
However Ceylon Workers’ Congress (CWC) leader Arumugam Thondaman, Eelam People’s Democratic Party leader (EPDP) MP Douglas Devananda and UPFA MP Lakshman Seneviratne voted in favour.
The second reading of the 2016 Budget was passed in Parliament last night with a majority of 107 votes. A total of 159 members voted in favour while 52 voted against.
The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and several UPFA parliamentarians of the joint opposition voted against the budget. The Tamil National Alliance (TNA), voted in favour.
Thirteen parliamentarians including former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was absent during the vote.
Other notable absentees included UNP Matara district MP Buddhika Pathirana who is at loggerheads with party leadership for not granting him any portfolio despite obtaining the highest preference votes from the district even beating the incumbent foreign minister Mangala Samaraweera.
Also government member M.K.A.D.S.Gunewardene was absent during the time of voting.
SLFP rebels Manusha Nanayakkara, and Geetha Kumarasinghe who were touted as possible cross overs to government benches too were not to been seen during voting time. Another notable absentee was Lohan Ratwatte who has been openly criticizing President Sirisena in recent times.
Meanwhile other SLFP rebels who have opted to sit in the opposition disregarded a call by their party leader Sirisena in the morning to abstain if they could not say “Yes” for the budget proposal.
All other SLFP rebels voted against the budget along with their UPFA colleagues in the opposition.
The budget proposal for year of 2016 was presented to Parliament by Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake on November 20.The Committee Stage or the Third Reading of the Budget commences on 3 December. The Committee Stage debate will be held for 15 days and the vote on the Third Reading is scheduled to be taken in the afternoon of 19 December.
Barathan / December 3, 2015
In the last 11 months all who claimed to speak for the government have lost their credibility. Let there be a ‘speak freeze’ for December devoting the month to self assessment. Nothing is lost since none are believed now.
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sarojini / December 3, 2015
Sadly he has been given the most honourable job of misleading the people.
He has a proven track record of excelling at his misleading job.
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Amarasiri / December 6, 2015
RE:No Cross Overs; Cabinet Spokesman Misleads Public Yet Again
“It looks like the cabinet spokesman has misled the public once again“, a political observer told Colombo Telegraph.
Standard Operating Practice, SOP.
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Jega / December 3, 2015
The only time you can trust him, once he is dead. Next years Oscar for the top liar will go to this punk!
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Pot Shot / December 3, 2015
He was anyway a onetime Rajapakse sidekick. When he knew the tide was changing he made a timely crossover and continues to behave like one from the previous regime.
Sigh! Sigh! Oh Sri Lanka, where are we heading as a nation???
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NAK / December 10, 2015
A top liar is a person who can convince others with lies This assol is nowhere there.He only knows to utter whatever that comes to his foul mouth.
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Don Stanley / December 3, 2015
During the budget debate Ravi K revealed that Mahinda Jarapassa gets a Presidential retirement benefit of 3 lakhs in addition to his MPs salary.
As he is not retired Mahinda Jarapassa should not be paid any retirement benefits as a former President.
Question is why is the UNP loading taxes onto the people while paying out all sorts of allowances and car permits to corrupt politicos?
Why has not a single corrupt politician of the Diaywenna parliament of morons been tried and convicted? Why is Jarapassa being paid so much of tax payers funds while the economy is crashing, the rupee falling, and IMF being approached for loans?!
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Jim softy / December 3, 2015
He had given up dentist job and got into politics because he knew how lucrative if he is a politician. That is why he has a big business which he has developed and he would never had made with his dentistry job. It is the same reason that he got his son also to do the same job that he does.
Interesting thing is he talked about Mahinda Rajapakse’s corruption while he was getting Rs 50 million checks of Kappam from time to time from Avant Grade Security firm.
What kind of criminals.
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Time Traveller / December 3, 2015
“Why has not a single corrupt politician of the Diaywenna parliament of morons been tried and convicted? Why is Jarapassa being paid so much of tax payers funds while the economy is crashing, the rupee falling, and IMF being approached for loans?! “
Good questions, Don. However, waiting for the answers would be akin to ‘Waiting for Godot’!
Maithripala has proved that he is a liar – and who knows why Ranil (aka ‘Mr Clean’) is playing deaf, dumb and blind to what’s going on. I suppose he can’t do much, given his Central Bank fiasco and what his appointees (Malik, Ratwatte, et al) are up to!
Looks like we are traveling backwards in time …..
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EDWIN RODRIGO / December 3, 2015
Don, “Question is why is the UNP loading taxes onto the people while paying out all sorts of allowances and car permits to corrupt politicos?”
Consider the Parliament as a huge company. It does not have to do any productive work or earn any profits. All it has to do is to produce a lot of filthy emissions worse than CO2. The great thing about this company is that it is financed by a set of share holding cattle called ‘voters’.
The company has more managers than there are ordinary employees. These guys have the powers to increase their own salaries limitlessly, buy cars, pay concubines and generally have great fun.
There is no one to control them.
I think that answers your question.
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Daham / December 3, 2015
According to President Sirisena “thish ish not a shootable time for cross overs”.
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EDWIN RODRIGO / December 3, 2015
Ha! Ha1
This guy seems to be following in the footsteps of SWRD, who also said not a ‘shootable’ time for many things, until someone else in a robe decided to make it a ‘shootable’ time.
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K.A Sumanasekera / December 5, 2015
Boru Sirisena has picked the right bloke as his Yahapanana spokesman..
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sarojini / December 6, 2015
Yes RS is a serial liar . An acting job would have been more suitable for him .
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nic / December 5, 2015
I think this guy is a loose cannon – an apt replacement to continue the misinformation the earlier Cabinet spokesman who fell from an upper level of a building breaking his leg and Sri Lankans having to pay for his medical treatment apparently after liquor! Wonder what the present guy is smoking?!!!!
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