Parliament Secretary-General clarifies stance on perks granted to MPs

Colombo, November 29 (Daily Mirror)- Secretary-General of Parliament Kushani Rohanadeera has clarified the process and policies regarding the privileges granted to Members of Parliament (MPs) and the allocation of official residences.

Addressing the media today (29), she said MPs residing more than 40 kilometres from the Parliament complex are eligible to request official residences at the Madiwela Housing Complex. So far, 35 MPs have submitted such requests.  

“Some 25 to 30 houses, previously returned by former MPs, are undergoing renovations to accommodate the newly elected parliamentarians. Once the renovations are complete, these residences will be allocated based on priority,” she pointed out.  

“Of the 108 official residences in the Madiwela Housing Complex, 80 are designated for ruling party MPs, while 28 are reserved for members of the opposition. This arrangement ensures an equitable distribution of housing based on parliamentary representation,” she added.

Responding to a query about whether the privileges of new MPs have been curtailed, she stated that, to her knowledge, there would be no significant changes to the privileges currently granted to MPs.