The Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayathissa

¶ 01 Including those of you in the Opposition as well. But what we see, unfortunately, is that things have not happened that way. People who had the ladle in their hand have shared out DODO; those funds have not been used to give relief to the ordinary people of this country.

¶ 02 Earlier too, we revealed in this Parliament how political power was used to distribute bar permits. Do not get agitated now. Some even stood up and asked questions, saying, “There are no names.” Give it a few more days; I will reveal the names of the politicians behind those who have put up these bars. Because we know that, in any case, your own names are not taken. Sometimes it is in the driver’s name, sometimes in the father’s name, sometimes in a relative’s name. We are now tracing those details. I will provide those details. [Noise]

¶ 03 Next, we presented how money has been taken from the President’s Fund. After undergoing a heart operation, or receiving cancer treatment, how much must an individual suffer, how many times must they come to Colombo, to obtain Rs. 200,000 from the President’s Fund? But how did you take Rs. 500,000, Rs. 1 million, up to Rs. 40 million? From which category did you take those funds? We revealed that. Here is another instance.

¶ 04 Hon. Deputy Chairperson of Committees, next I say this: In 2022, how politicians obtained compensation from the Government citing property damage. We also saw those matters in the media during those days. Pressure was exerted on some Divisional Secretaries and District Secretaries to assess higher compensation. Generally, even if someone suffers total loss from a natural disaster, the maximum for property is Rs. 2.5 million; and even that is rarely received. But look how those with power, those with the ladle in hand, took compensation claiming property damage. I will read out the names.

¶ 05 Kapila Nuwan Athukorala – Rs. 504,000. Vimalaveera Dissanayake – Rs. 550,000. Geetha Kumarasinghe – Rs. 972,000. Janaka Nisanka Kuttiaarachchi – Rs. 1,143,000. A small number, isn’t it? Gunapala Rathnasekara (Kurunegala) – Rs. 1,412,780. Premnath C. Dolawatte – Rs. 2,300,000. Piyankara Jayaratne – Rs. 2,348,000. Sampath Athukorala – Rs. 2,540,610. Jayantha Ketagoda – after Ajith Nivard Cabraal left and he came in – Rs. 2,814,800. Wimal Weerawansa – Rs. 2,954,000. Prof. Channa Jayasumana – Rs. 3,334,000. Is that fair?