MP Harsha de Silva of the opposition , Samagi Jana Balawegaya slammed the governor of Central Bank and his team over the inability to be present at Parliamentary Committee of Public Finance held on toady (24. As they were summoned to discuss on amendments to the Value Added Tax (VAT) Act CBSL governor and members of the monetary board have informed last minute tat they will not attend to the meeting the MP further claimed.
Dr Harshja De Silva in his hard hitting speech earmarked this incident as an insult to the legislature, which is the sole authority on matters of public finance in the country.
“They were first supposed to come on Monday but asked for Friday. I was supposed to respond.
“They didn’t show today. They sent a fax at 10.45am informing they’re not coming today. Why is a Parliament. Who has the sole power. Where are we heading? ?”Dr Harsha blamed.
He further said that since the constitution has given power to parliament to full control over public finance and, as such, there was no point in holding an all-party conference to discuss Sri Lanka’s prevailing economic crisis. There’s no point having conferences here and there. This problem can only be solved in parliament. The president has no power to make laws. Only parliament can increase taxes, reduce expenditure, etc.”
“Cabraal and co’s absence today is a total insult to parliament. No one has the right to do that. What on earth is the point of this parliament then?” Dr Harsha said .
