The Hon. Susantha Dodawatta, Attorney-at-Law
Hon. Susantha Dodawatta argued that the Government has already begun reducing or rationalizing parliamentary and ministerial privileges in line with the National People’s Power manifesto. He cited the abolition of duplicate fuel allowances for Ministers who are also MPs, changes to meal subsidies through the House Committee, and limits on vehicles for Ministers and State Ministers to two, adding that further reductions requiring legislation would be brought before Parliament.
Verbatim record (translated)
Machine-translated from Sinhala / Tamil / English¶ 01 Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. Listening to the speeches, I found ambiguity—are they asking to curtail privileges or to retain them? The Opposition seems to have forgotten the curtailments already done by the National People’s Power Government. For example, Ministers previously enjoyed a separate fuel allowance as MPs; the NPP Government abolished duplications. Meal subsidies were rationalized through the House Committee. Many privileges that can be reduced administratively have been reduced; others requiring law will be brought to Parliament. Do not panic; we are the rare government implementing its manifesto.
¶ 02 We have already limited vehicles for Ministers and State Ministers to two. The public can see the difference from the past convoys. This is a new political culture.
Provenance
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- Hansard, Friday, 9 May 2025 ·No. 1748600585013314 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard
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Cite as: The Hon. Susantha Dodawatta, Attorney-at-Law. 10th Parliament, Parliament of Sri Lanka. Hansard, 9 May 2025. No. 1748600585013314. Politick, https://staging.politick.io/lk/speeches/24742