Parliament grants Basil 3-month leave on request

Thursday, 19 February 2015 00:35 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Former Minister of Economic Development MP Basil Rajapaksa has been granted leave from Parliament for three months. Presenting a motion yesterday in Parliament, Leader of the Opposition Nimal Siripala de Silva informed Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa of MP Basil Rajapaksa’s inability to be presen

t for sessions without a specific reason. However, JVP Leader MP Anura Dissanayake disagreed to granting of leave for members who “just move a motion without giving a cause,” which is not mandatory. “Members shouldn’t be allowed to take leave as and when they feel like it. It is better that they give us a reason. We have the right to know why the member is away,” opposed MP Dissanayake. Bringing up Parliamentary traditions, MP de Silva skilfully negated the JVP Leader’s comments. “The House has been granting leave without asking for reasons in the past. I have moved the request, which you can support or disapprove of,” he said. MP Basil Rajapaksa was seen at the airport in the hourly hours immediately after the presidential election which toppled the Rajapaksa regime. It was reported that he together with his wife Pushpa had left the country to Dubai on Emirates flight EK 349 at 2:55 a.m. on Sunday 11 January. Later on it was reported he had returned to his residence in Los Angeles since he and his family are citizens of the US. (AH)