UNP highlights failures of Mahinda Chinthana in P’ment

Monday, 10 November 2014 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Ashwin Hemmathagama – Our Lobby Correspondent Opposition lawmakers accused President Rajapaksa of failing to uphold most of the promises made in the Mahinda Chinthana political manifesto, during the Committee stage debate on Public Administration and Home Affairs last weekend. UNP MP Ajith Perera charged that the President was not taking “any action” to stop corruption and fraud as pledged in his Mahinda Chinthana political manifesto. “The Mahinda Chinthana political manifesto identified corruption and fraud as one of the key issues preventing Sri Lanka from moving forward. The President has pledged to establish a committee to recommend action to prevent corruption and fraud taking place. He has also said to bring in a new Act that will disclose details of corruption and provide new laws to apprehend the culprits, mainly those who are in the Government,” Perera said. Giving possible reasons for the President not taking action against corruption and fraud, the minister added: “But the President did not proceed with any of these promises. He feared that his parliamentarians would get jailed. So it is clear that the Government is promoting corruption and fraud rather taking any action against it.” According to Perera, directives of the Human Rights Commission and the Ombudsman are given step-motherly treatment by Government officers. “State officers not following the directives issued by the Human Right Commission and the Ombudsman shows nothing but failure to uphold good governance,” he said, accusing Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva and Prime Minister D.M. Jayarathne of sleeping in tahe House when the Budget speech was read by the President, highlighting the quality of the state service. In response, Public Administration and Home Affairs Minister W.D.J. Senewiratne said: “My ministry is the key place that upholds a quality and prompt state service across the state sector in all parts of the country. The Opposition considers the state service a burden to the general public. Their plan was to reduce the public sector to 400,000 as described in the Regaining Sri Lanka political manifesto. Compared with other countries we have 1.4 million state employees. We are continuing to enhance the state service.”

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