Tuesday, 28 October 2014 01:43
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By Ashwin HemmathagamaOur Lobby Correspondent
Highlighting similarities and certain promises made since 2005, Opposition lawmakers yesterday claimed the 2015 Budget was nothing more than a “rap version” of the previous Budget speeches delivered since 2005 by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Kicking off the debate on the Appropriation Bill, Opposition lawmaker Kabir Hashim stated that key factors essential for any Budget were missing and the proposals were nothing more than an attempt to fool the public in order to remain in power.
“A Budget should have four key factors: distribution of wealth, redistribution of income, economic stability and the prudent management of public offices. But can the UPFA, having had the experience of presenting budgets for almost 20 years, out of which President Rajapaksa was in charge for 10 years, say this is a Budget acceptable to all?
“There is no credibility with the person who presented such a Budget compared to the past. Public hope is lost and many doubt what he pledges. If you read the Budget speeches since 2005, all what you see is the same. This time it was given a rap. The President need not prepare new budgets. All that is needed is to take photocopies and put a title to them saying rap version,” Hashim said.
According to Hashim, the Budget has many repetitions including the money allocated for the welfare of the country’s art and culture.
“In page 12 of Budget 2014, a living assistance of Rs. 3,000 was promised to handicapped persons. In Budget 2015 it is mentioned again. So, how can we trust his budgets? This is nothing more than an election promise,” he said.
“Instead of a regressive tax regime it is necessary to establish a progressive tax in Sri Lanka. The prevailing direct tax is 18% and the indirect tax stands at 82%. We are a middle-income country where many could pay tax. In the meantime the IMF instructs us to reduce the Budget deficit.
“So the public services are taxed to a large extent to cover up the facilities provided to henchmen. The President should have done a structural adjustment. There are 15 different types of direct and indirect taxes imposed on domestic businesses compared to tax reliefs given to foreign players. During the last Vesak festival, the lanterns were also imported from China,” Hashim added.
Responding to all the charges the UNP made, Telecommunication and Information Technology Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said: “I was expecting a speech based on incidents rather than on principles. The UNP is excited. You are letting down the public intelligence. This is nothing more than a welfare Budget, which was the best ever since Independence. We have secured the public protection, investment and welfare factors in the 2015 Budget.
“Protection was a serious issue we had when Mahinda Rajapaksa became the President. Despite Opposition criticism, we allocated 5% of the GDP for security. Today we have brought it down to 3%. In 2004, out of the entire population, 73% used electricity. Today this has increased to 96%. Pipe-borne water users have increased to 45% from 28%. Unemployment came down to 4.4%. The life expectancy, which stood at 68.7 years, has gone up to 75 years in 2014. The JVP finds this a national bribe. They were shouting for a wider range of relief. Are they referring to the farmers and the rest of the population benefiting from this Budget as bribe-takers? The UNP has given a shadow Budget, in which the leader of the Opposition is proposing a salary increase of Rs.10, 000 to state employees. Where is the money coming from? He promises to increase pensions and Samurdhi payments,” he added.
