No institutions coming under 38 state ministries: UNP MP

By Yohan Perera   

Referring to the gazette notification issued on Wednesday night outlining the institutions that come under each Ministry, the UNP yesterday alleged that not assigning any institution under any state ministry poses a problem. 

UNP Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahaman told a news conference yesterday a problem would be created by not assigning any institution under any state minister as 38 state ministers will not have any task to perform as no institutions have been vested under them.  

“ State Ministers enjoy similar salaries and perks as cabinet ministers to my knowledge. Accordingly there is an issue as they will be paid a salary though they don’t have any work to do,” Mr. Rahaman said.   

He said placing 31 institutions under the Defence Ministry was also an issue as there is no Minister of Defence at the moment. “We wonder who will be in charge of these 31 institutions that come under in such circumstances,” the MP said while highlighting that the President could not hold the Defence Ministry under the 19th Amendment to the Constitution.   
Coming up with more allegations, the UNP MP said it was sad to note that some civil institutions such as the Department of Immigration and Emigration also now came under the Ministry of Defence. “This institution was under the ministry of Home Affairs during the previous government,” he said.  

Referring to the proposed Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) agreement, the MP said either President Gotabaya Rajapaksa or Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa should come up with the official government stance. “ We are also closely watching whether those ministers in the present government who had threatened to leave if the MCC agreement is signed would actually quit the government if it is signed,” the MP said.