Defeat only symbolic: Kiriella

Friday, 29 March 2019 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Says Opposition violated agreement at party leaders meeting not to hold vote at Committee Stage

Responding to the vote on expenditure heads, Leader of the House Lakshman Kiriella yesterday dismissed the defeat as merely symbolic, and said a prior agreement with party leaders not to take votes at Committee Stage had been violated by the Opposition.

He stated that the reason for the shortage of Government parliamentarians was that the party leaders had agreed there would be no vote at the Committee Stage but the Opposition violated the agreement, and rescinded the promise given at the party leaders meeting.

“This is an embarrassment for the Government but it is not fatal. This can be put to vote again next week. Most of the items in the Budget were passed unopposed. That is why most of the Members kept away,” Kiriella told Daily FT. (CD)

Opposition defeats handful of expenditure heads