Former President Maithripala Sirisena says he disapproves of moves by Sri Lanka Podujana Perumuna MPs to seek compensation on charges of political victimization during the Yahapalana Government from 2015-2018.
According to Lankadeepa, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Chairman said it is regrettable that such attempts are being made at a time when the country is facing an economic crisis.
He further said that he will object and show his displeasure to the government over its moves to use legal means to provide compensation to certain persons under the guise of political victimization.
The government must work toward resolving the economic crisis at present, instead of cheating the public of funds further, MP Sirisena added.
Meanwhile, United National Party (UNP) member Navin Dissanayake said that he hopes President Ranil Wickremesinghe will oppose moves by SLPP MPs to seek compensation on charges of political victimization during the Yahapalana Government from 2015-2018.
In a Twitter message, sharing a Sunday Times news report, Navin Dissanayake said the President would oppose this and disapprove of this as the Finance Minister as the Treasury is scraping the barrel.
“Gamini Senarath 24m, what a joke no wonder the people of this country want “system change”,” he further said.
The UNP member’s comments came after a newspaper report claimed that there were moves by SLPP higher-ups to push Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena to obtain Cabinet approval for compensation amounting to over Rs. 117 million.
The report said that the Cabinet paper has been drafted by former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa based on recommendations of a committee headed by former Chief Justice Asoka de Silva.
The Cabinet proposal had not been submitted earlier as former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa was forced to resign following the public uprising on 09th May 2022.
Thereby, a fresh proposal is now being drafted to submit to the Cabinet of Ministers after Dinesh Gunawardena assumed duties as Prime Minister.
A total of 27 officials are due to receive monetary compensation as per recommendations of the De Silva committee and the compensation ranges from Rs. 700,000 to Rs. 25 million.
Those due to receive compensation include former Sri Lanka Insurance Managing Director Piyadasa Kudabalage (Rs. 24.8 million), former President’s Secretary Gamini Senarath (Rs. 24 million), former President’s Secretary Lalith Weeratunga (Rs. 15 million), Ministry Secretary Anusha Palpita (Rs. 14 million), Magistrate Thilina Gamage (Rs. 6 million), Ministry Secretary Neil Bandara Hapuhinna (Rs. 5.9 million), the Divineguma Development Department’s former Director General Kithsiri Ranawaka (Rs. 4.8 million) and Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Karannagoda (Rs. 4.2 million). (NewsWire)