The Hon. Chithral Fernando, Attorney-at-Law

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker, I speak after the Hon. Prime Minister. She said people despise politicians, hence this measure. Yes, there are those deserving criticism—we have all seen them. But do not generalize. When you paint everyone with the same brush, someday you will also feel that pain. Your government rode to office on that “project.”

¶ 02 On abolishing MPs’ pensions: Nobody here has examined the foundational question—on what basis any pension, whether for public servants or MPs, is granted. Why was it introduced? What is the rationale—contributory or otherwise? There has been no informed review underpinning this Bill.

¶ 03 As a party, we hold the view that a pension should be available, at least with a grandfather clause for those already in the system. The Opposition Leader stated this clearly. Hon. Chamara Sampath has also proposed amendments. Yet the Government seems to be rushing this.

¶ 04 The Justice Minister said public funds are being misused by paying former MPs and that Rs. 34 million is spent monthly on their upkeep. But are not public funds also used to subsidize party apparatuses? I calculated that approximately Rs. 55 million monthly in MPs’ salaries flows to parties. For local authority members—thousands in number—that sum easily tops Rs. 100 million. Those decrying Rs. 34 million in pensions ignore over Rs. 155 million monthly channelled to party funds. There is a clear contradiction between rhetoric and conduct.

¶ 05 They cite a “mandate.” Yes, you have one. But you ignore the mandate whenever it suits you—like with the IMF agreement or resolving Development Officers’ issues, which you promised to address. People queued in the rain and voted, and later were summoned by the President and given nothing. Is that not also part of the mandate?

¶ 06 You loudly opposed the Executive Presidency, promising constitutional change. Eighteen months on, not even an expert committee has been appointed, and the Minister himself says Cabinet has not discussed it. Likewise with Provincial Council elections—your own policy document promised to hold them, but they are forgotten, while you tout surveys claiming 65 percent public support. If you truly have 65 percent, hold the elections immediately—then you will not need “mud squads.”

¶ 07 On the recent killing of a lawyer near Akuregoda: almost all lawyers today feel unsafe. A lawyer appears for clients under the presumption of innocence—that does not make him underworld. The Government rushed to label him underworld the moment he was killed. That is a dangerous precedent. Withdraw that statement unless and until it is proven.

¶ 08 Finally, the State Minister said six “underworld” figures called and begged not to be arrested and to surrender out of fear. Where are they now? Please table the list and say whether they have been apprehended.

¶ 09 As to our party’s position: we support providing for a pension, especially with grandfathering for those already retired and dependent on it.