PM to represent President in Parliament
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will represent President Chandrika Kumaratunga in Parliament during next week's committee stage debates on the ministries of Defence, Interior and Mass Communication.

A spokesman for the Prime Minister's Office said the budget was from the UNF, and it was the duty of the UNF Government to have it passed. He said there was an issue of who was to move the traditional token cut of Rs. 10 by an opposition MP to open a debate on the vote of each ministry.

With President Kumaratunga having taken over the three ministries last month, and not having any deputy ministers to represent her in Parliament, the issue of who was to represent the minister -in-charge of each ministry had cropped up at this week's meeting between the President and the Prime Minister to resolve the constitutional crisis that had arisen from the takeover of the ministries.

The spokesman said that if the opposition did not move the traditional token cut, there might not be a debate on each of the ministries, depriving MPs their chance to have their say. The budget committee stage debate is usually an opportunity for opposition MPs to voice their grievances or make their suggestions. Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapakse yesterday confirmed that the opposition would be moving the token cut.

It would be an embarrassment if the token cut is not moved, as there won't be a debate on the votes if the cut is not moved - in effect, the PA moving to cut votes of the ministries headed by the President. It had not yet been decided as to who would be moving the token cut. "We will be deciding in the next few days," Mr. Rajapakse said. The committee stage debate for the three ministries is fixed for Wednesday with the Mass Communication votes coming up first followed by Defence and Interior on the same day.

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