September 7th 2007

Speaker W.J.M. Lokubandara has emphasised that the decision given in relation to the approval of the Finance Amendment Bills will not be retracted.

Various arguments on the approval of these Bills took place in parliament today. The Speaker pointed out that members of the opposition acted like terrorists when the voting on the Finance Amendment Bills was taken up. It was a serious threat to democracy.
Chief Government Whip and Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle said Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe, who delivers addresses on parliamentary democracy displayed his actions clearly within the House yesterday. He objected to the activities of the chair. Minister Fernandopulle queried from Mr. Wickremasinghe whether giving advice to other members to be unruly within the House was parliamentary democracy.

Minister D.M. Jayaratne pointed out that the unruly behaviour of opposition members within the House when the voting on the Finance Amendment Bills was taken up was a disgrace to the entire nation.

Describing the incidents in Parliament on Thursday, on the passing of the Five Finance Amendments Bills, a visibly disgusted Speaker W. J. M. Lokubandara yesterday told the House that the previous day’s incidents were a clear case of using terrorism and intimidation to influence the decision on the vote.

"We are here to preserve democracy and not to use our hands and feet. Remember my kindness is not my weakness," he asserted in the House yesterday.

The Speaker told the House that he was prepared to step down if the Government and Opposition so desires and they could elect some other person who was more suitable to be the Speaker.

"I am not only the Speaker but also a member of Parliament. Everyday I feel that I occupy a Chair for which I am not suitable," he said.

There was utter chaos in the House on Thursday when leader of the Opposition Ranil Wickremesinghe opposed the use of the electronic voting system on the five Finance Amendments Bills. UNP and JVP members stormed the well of the House and kept on shouting anti-government slogans.

The Speaker repeatedly called for order and reminded them that party leaders had agreed to the electronic voting at the party leaders meeting. A UNP member from the Ratnapura District took a document from the Speaker’s table and threw it out and a scuffle ensued. The Speaker adjourned the meeting around 6.40 pm on Thursday and announced that the five Finance Bills were passed.

Yesterday the Speaker said there was a clear majority of 25 members voting for the five finance Bills. He said that according to his conscience the Bills stand passed by a majority of votes. "My decision is final and it will not change," Mr. Lokubandara declared.

He said voting in the House cannot be changed. It is a special privilege of the Members of Parliament and no wrong was done by using an electronic device to vote.

"Terrorism, threats and fear cannot be brought into deciding a vote in the House. I regret the incidents that occurred in the House on Thursday", he said.

The Speaker said that he had felt the pressure of the words used by the Opposition leader in the House, though he himself was a UNP Member of Parliament.

Courtesy - The Island