8 June 2023 10:35 am
MP Harsha de Silva’s appointment as the chairman of the Public Finance Committee (COPF) is welcome, but it is a bad precedent as it violates Standing Orders, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa told Parliament today.
“We welcome the appointment of Dr. de Silva but we like to note that he has been appointed by violating Standing Orders. Standing Orders are violated as President Ranil Wickremesinghe had to come to Parliament to appoint him to the post,” Mr. Premadasa said.
“We thank the President for his role to get de Silva appointed but would like to say that Sanding Orders have to be changed now so that the President’s intervention will be made legal,” he added.
Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella said the whole affair is an indication that the opposition will have to go to the President to get things done.
"The Speaker has given the impression that we have to now go to the President to get things done,” he said.
Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana said there is no point in raising matters pertaining to the appointment of the Finance Committee Chairman as that has been done.
Chief Government Whip Prasanna Ranatunga questioned whether there is a plan to prevent Dr. de Silva from carrying out his work.
"The President intervened as the Minister of Finance and not as the head of state to resolve the issue over the Finance Committee Chairman,” he added. (Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana)