Columns

By Sandun Jayawardana

The Presidents’ Entitlements (Repeal) Bill, which sought to abolish many of the perks enjoyed by former presidents and widows of former presidents, was passed overwhelmingly by the House on Wednesday (10) by a majority of 150 votes.  

The ruling National People’s Power (NPP) Government had pledged to abolish special privileges enjoyed by former presidents and their families in the party’s election manifesto ‘A Thriving Nation, A Beautiful Life.’ As such, Government MPs who took part in the debate on the Bill repeatedly reminded that by introducing the Bill, the Government was only fulfilling an election pledge it had made to the people on the campaign trail. Critics in the opposition, while acknowledging that the NPP had indeed made such a promise, questioned the Government’s intentions, alleging that it was motivated not by a desire to save public funds but to exact political revenge on former presidents, who all came from rival parties.

New Democratic Front (NDF) MP Chamara Sampath Dasanayake was the only opposition MP to vote against the motion. Jaffna District Independent Group MP Ramanathan Archchuna voted for the motion with the Government. Other opposition MPs were not in the chamber at the time the vote was taken.

Opposition MP Chamara Sampath Dasanayake

The Act abolishes any residence provided to, or monthly allowance paid to a former President or the widow of a former President, monthly secretarial allowance, official transport and other such facilities as well as the monthly pension paid to the widow of a former President.

Opening the debate for the Government, Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara pointed out that the Presidents’ Entitlements Act No. 04 of 1986 had been introduced not as a part of the Constitution. He said the prevailing Act was not a good one as the Act is ripe for misuse in the hands of “uncivilized rulers who think they can live by robbing taxpayer funds.” He said the Government wanted to cut down on such wasteful spending and that is why the NPP manifesto clearly stated it would abolish the Act if it came to power. “This is yet another example of our Government keeping the promises we made,” Minister Nanayakkara said.

He also refuted claims made by opposition circles after the Bill was introduced that it will weaken the security of former presidents, noting that the Bill makes no mention of the security provided to ex-presidents. Security for them will be handled through Cabinet Papers and they can also request additional security if they want to, he stressed.

While it is true that countries such as Singapore, the UK, India and the US provide certain privileges to their former presidents and prime ministers, it is because they all provide some form of service to the country even after they retire, the minister noted. “But what do our former heads of state do? They try to build palaces for their sons. Since the day they lose power, they spend their time scheming on how to get it back. What is the contribution they are making to the country?”

Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara

The NPP has received a mandate to abolish the privileges enjoyed by former presidents and their widows and as such, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) did not plan to oppose the motion, SJB Kurunegala District MP Dayasiri Jayasekara stated. Mr Jayasekara however, accused the Government of hypocrisy, alleging that its MPs were obtaining privileges they claimed they would not obtain. “Earlier, you said MPs don’t need Government vehicles but many use them now. You said they don’t need Government housing but all MPs use them now. Not only that, but there are now plans to lay tiles in those houses. Some ministers obtain both their minister’s salary and the fuel allowance given to an MP. You have now realised that there is a clear difference between citizens and their representatives, though you had earlier claimed otherwise,” he told the Government.

A President takes decisions on behalf of the country, the SJB MP observed. Sometimes, they have to decide on going to war. Sometimes they have to take decisions that even they don’t like. They have been given immunity to take those decisions. They use that immunity in the belief that they can live out the rest of their lives without any hindrance in the future. That is why the President is protected,” he remarked. The Act only gives former Presidents privileges accorded to a Cabinet Minister, but there have been instances in the past where they have gone beyond that, Mr. Jayasekara acknowledged. He however, accused the NPP Government of using those incidents as an excuse to abolish the Act.

The Government’s Bill has been introduced primarily due to the hatred the NPP/JVP Government has towards former presidents Chandrika Kumaratunga, Maithripala Sirisena and Mahinda Rajapaksa, Badulla District New Democratic Front (NDF) MP Chamara Sampath Dasanayake claimed.

“These really are not the main issues facing the country. This Act will be passed today and Mahinda Rajapaksa will go home tomorrow. That is not a problem for him. Stop working with so much hate. These maybe popular decisions that were given as election promises. They must be fulfilled, but you need to think twice when doing this. Mahinda Rajapaksa may have been rejected by the people, but Sinhala Buddhists especially have a high level of respect and love for him. So, while these maybe popular decisions now, the Government may well have to face their repercussions in future,” the MP warned.

The passage of the Bill will be a historic occasion, Minister of Plantation and Rural Infrastructure Samantha Vidyarathna claimed.

“We made a pledge in our election manifesto to abolish Acts such as the Presidents’ Entitlements Act which are a burden on the country and the people. We pledged to remove perks enjoyed by former presidents and to abolish the pensions of former MPs. As such, I believe the intelligent public will understand that this is a progressive and people-friendly Bill that is set to be approved. If these former rulers really cared about the people’s mandate or had an ounce of shame, they should have vacated their thrones long before this Bill became law,” he further said.

The opposition has no problem with the Government slashing privileges, said Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Hambantota District MP D V Chanaka. But he requested the Government to provide the necessary protection accorded to former presidents who are facing threats due to what they had done for the country during their time in office. “Both the NPP Government and the pro-LTTE Diaspora like to see Mahinda Rajapaksa thrown out of his house and his security cut down.”

“We can accept privileges such as a house being given free of rent during the time someone is in office, but the condition to provide them a house for the rest of their lives is removed through this Act,” Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Paulraj said. She pointed out that under the prevailing Act, even electricity and water bills of official residences of former presidents and widows are being paid using taxpayer funds.

“This Act is part of our efforts to change the country’s political culture. It is not something that has been brought with the aim of getting revenge against someone,” Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Ananda Wijepala told the House. He also stressed that the Bill is not related to the security provided to former presidents.

The Government had initially explored the possibility of continuing to provide privileges enjoyed by former presidents subject to certain limitations, “but we chose to abolish them altogether after realizing that over the past several decades, they had obtained unlimited privileges through various Acts, Cabinet decisions and other means,” he emphasised.