Govt., Opposition clash over President’s expenditure

Tuesday, 10 December 2024 03:49 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

NPP MP Lakmali Hemachandra

SJB MP Kabir Hashim

NPP MP Lakmali Hemachandra says
$ 1.3 b funding by FAO included in President’s Office expenditure
Clarifies inclusion has inflated overall expenditure figures mirroring that of his predecessor
Claims President has reduced expenses for private staff by 64% demonstrating a commitment to fiscal prudence

National People’s Power (NPP) National List MP Lakmali Hemachandra has defended President Anura Kumara Dissanayake against allegations by the Opposition that his expenditure allocation mirrors that of his predecessor, Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Speaking during the Parliamentary debate on the Government’s Vote on Account last week, Hemachandra clarified that a significant portion of the allocation under the President’s Office – $ 1.3 billion provided by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) – was earmarked for the Presidential Secretariat. She clarified that this inclusion had inflated the overall expenditure figures.

Hemachandra emphasised that President Dissanayake has reduced expenses for his private staff by 64%, demonstrating a commitment to fiscal prudence. This, she argued, counters Opposition claims that the NPP Government has continued the excessive practices of its predecessors.

“There is an attempt by the Opposition to suggest that the NPP has no intention of curtailing benefits for political leaders and is following the same path as previous Governments,” she said. “We are here to change the paths taken by others. Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe and his Cabinet have been comprehensively rejected by the people, with only MP Thondaman surviving. This is a major rejection, and the Opposition has yet to grasp its significance.”

Hemachandra’s remarks were a response to accusations made by Opposition MPs, including Samagi Jana Balawegaya’s (SJB) Kabir Hashim. Hashim alleged that President Dissanayake’s allocation for the period January to April 2025 matched the Rs. 1.4 trillion previously allocated by Wickremesinghe, a figure the NPP had strongly criticised when in Opposition. “When Wickremesinghe made such allocations, the NPP and its leader Dissanayake were vocal in their criticism. People voted for them expecting change. Where is the promised change?” Hashim had questioned during the debate.

Hemachandra countered by reiterating the NPP’s commitment to systemic reform and fiscal accountability, asserting that the inclusion of the FAO funds in the allocation distorted the comparison. She maintained that the President’s efforts to reduce personal expenditures signal a departure from the practices of previous administrations.