• Finance Minister had not made any statement in Parliament since December 10  last year 

By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana  

As the opposition alleged that Minister of Finance Basil  Rajapaksa had not made any statement in Parliament since December 10  last year on the status of Sri Lanka’s economy, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena said he has no right to force any Minister to make a  statement in the House while there are provisions for taking disciplinary  action against an MP if fails to attend sessions for three months. 

The Speaker came out with this remark when Chief Opposition  Whip Lakshman Kiriella alleged that it has been three months since Mr.  Rajapaksa came to Parliament and made a statement on the economy.  
“Sri Lanka has become insolvent, and the Finance Minister  had failed to make any statement in the House for three months. Today is  March 10, and it is three months since he made a statement. Therefore,  we request that the Speaker gives an order to the Finance Minister to come  and make a statement,” Mr. Kiriella said.  
“Leader of the House Dinesh Gunawardena said there is no  truth in what the Chief Opposition Whip is saying as the State Minister  had answered all questions raised by the opposition on behalf of the  Finance Minister. “ Mr. Kiriella is repeating the same argument almost  every day,” he said.  

Chief Government Whip Johnston Fernando said all statements  which Mr. Rajapaksa makes even outside Parliament have been debated in  the House.  SJB MP Nalin Bandara said one cannot see why Mr. Rajapaksa  cannot come to Parliament and answer questions when even the Ukrainian  President addresses that country’s Parliament, even with the war situation. 

Heated arguments followed, with government and Opposition MPs shouting at each other at that time.