The Hon. Harshana Rajakaruna

¶ 01 Thank you for the opportunity. Our Hon. Leader of the House engaged in a lengthy review of what your Government has done over this period. We have the spine to say “good” when good things initiated are carried forward. We clearly stated that the political culture needed some change. Where positive changes have occurred, that is good. We are pleased that Ministers move without massive security and set an exemplary tone. No doubt about that; and there are other positives we recognize.

¶ 02 But you have acted today as though you were the first to appoint a President. It was not Anura Kumara Dissanayake that you first made President; the first you worked hard to make President was Mahinda Rajapaksa in 2005. Those sitting in the front here were in Chandrika Kumaratunga’s Cabinet—not us. Now you say Shiranthi Rajapaksa took land; who made Mahinda Rajapaksa President? Us? This is absurd. You went stage to stage, house to house, praising Mahinda Rajapaksa and saying he must be President. Did any of us in the SJB say that? No. We did not mount those stages, nor campaign to make him President. You did. Now you say, “woos goi,” and point fingers at us as if we made him President. You did nothing all these years!

¶ 03 We humbly accept our shortcomings; you should accept yours. Have the courage to apologize to the nation for making Mahinda Rajapaksa President. Likewise, accept that the JVP bears responsibility for the destruction in 1988–89. We welcome your joining a democratic approach; that is as it should be. But also say honestly what happened before. You must accept responsibility for 88–89. Governments too had faults then; no argument. In wartime, in confronting terror, there were lapses; we accept that.

¶ 04 You now talk of Batalanda; we will take that up in a separate debate coming in a week or two. But do not pretend you had nothing to do with past events. You made Mahinda President; you were with Chandrika’s Cabinet; you helped bring Maithripala Sirisena; you stood with us on Sarath Fonseka’s presidential platform; you were with Ranil Wickremesinghe whom you now criticize. You took those decisions.

¶ 05 We are glad this Government also did some good things. But look at what you boast about. My friend Bimal Rathnayake says you will abolish MPs’ pensions. Fine. But all of you took pensions all these years. Did former JVP MPs return their pensions to the Treasury? No. The same with vehicle permits—you say you will cancel them now, but did any MP in the past refuse their permit? No.

¶ 06 You created the notion that “we don’t take salaries.” Forgive me, we take salaries; you do not. You said you don’t take pay; that is true, but it goes to the party fund. What benefit does that give the people? If it went to the Treasury, yes. You route it to the party fund and later retrieve it in a roundabout way. What relief have you actually given the people? If you abolish pensions, cancel vehicle permits, and if none of you use official residences, I would be happy. But while 20 Ministers may not take residences, MPs all take them. Then why is that not an issue? Those are also official residences. We believe official residences should exist; it was you who said “cancel the canteen, no pensions, no salaries.” We did not say that. We believe just entitlements should be given. You claimed you would forego them all. When you do the right thing, we are happy and not petty. But when shortcomings happen—especially after 1994—you must bear responsibility.

¶ 07 Today the Committee on Public Finance held a workshop. Regrettably, not a single Government MP attended—due to arrogance or negligence. You should pay attention and attend next time; the Professor said he will come again.

¶ 08 Even now nearly 50% of our people suffer poverty—over 50%.