Budget Debate-2nd Day

"Today 80% of the people in Ampara have electricity thanks to our Govt."
By Walter Nanayakkara and Lishanthi Siriwardena

Parliament met at 9.30 a.m. on Wednesday November 11, 1998, with Speaker K. B. Ratnayake in the chair.

After presentation of petitions and Ministers answered oral questions, House resumed debate on the Appropriation Bill 1999 for the second day.

U. L. M. Mohideen (SLMC — National List) said: The opposition yesterday was creating so much trouble about the budget while it was commended by the Chambers of Commerce as a development oriented budget.

Incentives for private sector, income tax exemptions for software training institutions, 15% income tax for construction industry, duty free equipment, duty free vehicles for registered foreign employment agencies, very importantly the setting up of the Seethavaka Industrial Park and allocating 1,241 million rupees for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Northern province, the diversification of Galoya scheme by allocating 90 million rupees, will be greatly appreciated by the farmers in the area.

One of the major achievement of the PA in Ampara district is providing telephones. There is no shortage of telephone facilities in these areas now.

We established a model village in Malwatta. Under this scheme electricity was provided. We resettled people driven away from these areas. Today in Ampara 80% of the people have electricity thanks to our government. We have provided health facilities to Ampara. Last week the minister provided a number of ambulances. A zonal education area has been established by our government. The UNP’s ambitions to come to power in Ampara is only a day dream.

Azwer - What about the Jaffna Tamils who are on the roads?

Speaker - He is talking about Ampara.

Eighty percent of the people in Ampara will vote for Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga at the elections. She feels for the suffering of the Tamils and that is why she has allocated a large sum of money for the rehabilitation of the North and East.

Dharmadasa Banda (UNP — Badulla District) said" The speech of Mr. U. L. M. Mohideen confirmed the fact that the government back benchers are not satisfied with the budget proposals. Had they been satisfied Mr. Mohideen would have told something about the budget. He made no mention of it.

On Tuesday Mr. Ronnie de Mel told Parliament that government has not revealed to Parliament how the loss of revenue resulting from the withdrawal of the rail fare increase is to be bridged.

On Monday newspapers published report that the government would also restore the facility given to emigrant workers to purchase duty free goods once they return to the country. Budget proposals for 1999 made known last week withdrew this facility and proposed to give the returnees Rs. 5000 instead.

Do you know the implications of this new proposals? Suppose 1000 persons would return to the country in 1999, you will have to pay them Rs. 5 billion. Have you provided money to pay such a big amount to these returnees in the budget for 1998. You have not made such a provision. This is why we say that your budget is full of contradictions. You promise to pay Rs. 5000 without money being allocated.

We have information that the Treasury is examining optional measures to be adopted in place of the withdrawal of the facility to returnees from work abroad.

According to our information you are examining the possibility of tapping the Non-Resident Current Accounts belonging to these returnees.

Please correct me if I am wrong. This is our information.

When they deposit their savings in US dollars, you are going to credit their accounts in rupees. Why are you doing this.

You decided to drop the proposal in the face of opposition, both from the opposition and the workers themselves. But the alternative measures that you are examining are much more difficult.

(contd. tomorrow)