Opposition objects to Sagara Kariyawasam’s latest appointment

• Says unbelievable that ruling party MP has been tasked with investigating country’s bankruptcy
• Requests Speaker to appoint an opposition MP to post instead
• Ruling party MPs object to proposal and accuse opposition of being party to country’s economic ruin 

SLPP General Secretary and MP Sagara Kariyawasam

The main opposition party, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) in Parliament yesterday opposed the appointment of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) General Secretary and MP Sagara Kariyawasam as the Chairman of the special parliamentary committee set up to probe the country’s financial bankruptcy. 

The announcement of his appointment led to an uproar in Parliament yesterday. Addressing the house, Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella said it was the opposition that initially proposed the setting up of the committee. He objected to Kariyawasam’s appointment and said it was unbelievable that a member of the ruling party was tasked with investigating the reason behind the country’s bankruptcy.

“We cannot accept the appointment of a Government MP to probe into the causes that led the country to bankruptcy,” he said. Kiriella called for an MP from the opposition to be appointed as Chair instead and said the opposition had already proposed another for the post. 

In response ruling party Minister, Kanchana Wijesekara said the Good Governance Government of which Kiriella was a party to appointed a Chair from the Government at the time to probe into the Easter Sunday attacks. “A committee must contain MPs from both the Government and the opposition. That is the tradition and the law. Therefore, it is not possible to appoint members from only the opposition,” he said. Wijesekara also said opposition MPs are also to blame for the crisis faced by the country. 

Other members of the committee include State Minister D.V. Chanaka, Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi, MP Vijitha Herath, MP Mahindananda Aluthgamage, MP Eran Wickramaratne, MP Ashok Abeysinghe, MP Jayantha Ketagoda, MP Harshana Rajakaruna, MP Pradeep Undugoda, MP Sanjeeva Edirimanna, MP Nalaka Kottegoda, MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam, and MP Ranjith Bandara.