The Sri Lankan Tax Payers burden: Maintaining a corrupt Government that has lied to the People
Posted on June 13th, 2018
The present government came to power assuring the citizens of Sri Lanka an uncorrupt, transparent, no-wastage government. That promise was thrown to the bin after coming to power. The people were sold that the Cabinet would be just 25 MP (100 day program) however 19a created a bogus national government with the right to unlimited number of MPs. The abuse of power is unprecedented, not that previous governments were not uncorrupt. The difference is that this particular Alliance came to power fooling the masses that they would not be corrupt like the previous government & they are turning out to be more corrupt than all previous governments put together
Number of Ministries 43
Ministry Offices 45
Cabinet Ministers 42 (18 new appointments on 1st May 2018)
State Ministers 24 (2 new appointments on 12 June 2018)
Deputy Ministers 22 (5 new appointments on 12 June 2018)
Total 86 Ministers
Note:
At the August 2015 General Elections, the UNF won only 93 seats (excluding the 13 national list seats)
At the August 2015 General Elections, the UPFA won 83 seats (excluding the 12 national list seats)
The Office of the Cabinet of Ministers of Sri Lanka website gives the following Cabinet portfolios as of June 2018
| 1. H.E Maithripala Sirisena | Minister of Defence
Minister of Mahaweli Development and Environment Minister of National Integration & Reconciliation |
| 2. Ranil Wickremasinghe | Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs |
| 3. Akila Viraj Kariyawasam | Minister of Education |
| 4. Arjuna Ranatunga | Minister of Petroleum Resources Development |
| 5. Chandrani Bandara | Minister of Women and Child Affairs |
| 6. Gamini Jayawickrema Perera | Minister of Buddha Sasana |
| 7. Gayantha Karunathilaka | Minister of Lands and Parliamentary Reforms |
| 8. Harin Fernando | Minister of Telecommunication, Digital Infrastructure and Foreign Employment |
| 9. John Amarathunga | Minister of Tourism Development and Christian Religious Affairs |
| 10. M.H.A. Haleem | Minister of Posts, Postal Services and Muslim Religious Affairs |
| 11. Mahinda Samarasinghe | Minister of Ports and Shipping |
| 12. Malik Samarawickrema | Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade |
| 13. Mangala Samaraweera | Minister of Finance and Mass Media |
| 14. Navin Dissanayake | Minister of Plantation Industries |
| 15. Nimal Siripala de Silva | Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation |
| 16. Patali Champika Ranawaka | Minister of Megapolis and Western Development |
| 17. Rajitha Senaratne | Minister of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine |
| 18. Ranjith Siyambalapitiya | Minister of Power and Renewable Energy |
| 19. Rauff Hakeem | Minister of City Planning and Water Supply |
| 20. Rishad Bathiudeen | Minister of Industry and Commerce |
| 21. Sajith Premadasa | Minister of Housing and Construction |
| 22. Thilak Marapana | Minister of Foreign Affairs |
| 23. U. Palani Digambaram | Minister of Hill Country New Villages, Infrastructure and Community Development |
| 24. Vajira Abeywardena | Minister of Home Affairs |
| 25. Vijith Vijayamuni Zoysa | Minister of Fisheries & Aquatic Resources Development and Rural Economic (1 May 2018) |
| 26. Wijayadasa Rajapaksa | Minister of Higher Education & Cultural Affairs (1 May 2018) |
| 27. Thalatha Atukorala | Minister of Justice & Prison Reforms (1 May 2018) |
| 28. Ranjith Madduma Bandara | Minister of Public Administration & Management and Law & Order (1 May 2018) |
| 29. S.B. Navinne | Minister of Internal Affairs & Wayamba Development (1 May 2018) |
| 30. Sarath Amunugama | Minister of Science, Technology, Research, Skills Development & Vocational Training and Kandyan Heritage (1 May 2018) |
| 31. Sagala Ratnayake | Minister of Youth Affairs, Project Management and Southern Development (1 May 2018) |
| 32. Ravindra Samaraweera | Minister of Labour & Trade Union Relations & Sabaragamuwa Development (1 May 2018) |
| 33. Mano Ganesan | Minister of National Integration, Reconciliation and Official Languages (1 May 2018 – Ministry is National Co-existence & Reconciliation & Official Languages) |
| 34. P. Harison | Minister of Social Empowerment (1 May 2018) |
| 35. D.M. Swaminathan | Minister of Resettlement, Rehabilitation, Northern Development & Hindu Religious Affairs (1 May 2018) |
| 36. Duminda Dissanayake | Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources & Disaster Management (1 May 2018) |
| 37. Lakshman Kiriella | Minister of Public Enterprise & Kandy City Development (1 May 2018) |
| 38. Kabir Hashim | Minister of Highways & Road Development (1 May 2018) |
| 39. Mahinda Amaraweera | Minister of Agriculture (1 May 2018) |
| 40. Daya Gamage | Minister of Social Welfare and Primary Industries (1 May 2018) |
| 41. Faiszer Musthapha | Minister of Provincial Councils, Local Government and Sports (1 May 2018) |
| 42. Field Marshal Hon. Sarath Fonseka | Minister of Sustainable Development, Wildlife and Regional Development (1 May 2018) |
State Ministers
| State Minister | Ministry |
| 1. A.H.M. Fouzie | National Unity and Co-existence |
| 2. Ajith P. Perera | Power and Renewable Energy |
| 3. Arjuna Sujeewa Senasinghe | International Trade |
| 4. Champika Premadasa | Plantation Industries |
| 5. Dilip Wedaarachchi | Fisheries & Aquatic Resources Development & Rural Economic Affairs |
| 6. Eran Wickramaratne | Finance |
| 7. Harsha de Silva | National Policies and Economic Affairs |
| 8. Lakshman Senewirathna | Science, Technology, Research, Skills Development & Vocational Training and Kandyan Heritage |
| 9. M.L.A.M. Hizbullah | Highways & Road Development |
| 10. Maheswaran Wijayakala | Child Affairs |
| 11. Mohan Lal Grero | Higher Education & Cultural Affairs |
| 12. Niroshan Perera | National Policies and Economic Affairs |
| 13. Palitha Ranga Bandara | Irrigation & Water Resources & Disaster Management |
| 14. Piyasena Gamage | Youth Affairs, Project Management and Southern Development |
| 15. R.G. Sriyani Wijewickrama | Provincial Councils, Local Government and Sports |
| 16. Ruwan Wijayawardena | Defence |
| 17. V. Radhakrishnan | Education |
| 18. Wasantha Aluwihare | Agriculture |
| 19. Wasantha N K Senanayake | Foreign Affairs |
| 20. Weera Kumar Dissanayaka | Mahaweli Development |
| 21. Lucky Jayawardena | Hill Country New Villages, Infrastructure and Community Development (12 June 2018) |
| 22. Ranjith Aluwihare | Tourism Development and Christian Religious Affairs (12 June 2018) |
Deputy Ministers
| Deputy Minister | Ministry |
| 1. Ali Zahir Moulana Seyed | National Integration, Reconciliation and Official Languages |
| 2. Ammer Ali Seyed Mohammad Sihabdeen | Fisheries & Aquatic Resources Development and Rural Economic Affairs |
| 3. Anoma Gamage | Petroleum Resources Development |
| 4. Ashoka Abeysinghe | Transport and Civil Aviation |
| 5. Dunesh Gankanda | Lands and Parliamentary Reforms |
| 6. Habeeb Mohamed Mohamed Harees | Public Enterprise & Kandy City Development |
| 7. Indika Bandaranayaka | Housing and Construction |
| 8. J.C. Alawathuwala | Home Affairs |
| 9. Karunarathna Paranavithanage | Science, Technology, Research, Skills Development & Vocational Training and Kandyan Heritage |
| 10. Lasantha Alagiyawanna | Finance and Mass Media |
| 11. M.K. Naleen Manusha Nanayakkara | Telecommunication, Digital Infrastructure and Foreign Employment |
| 12. Mohomed Casim Mohomed Faizal | Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine |
| 13. Muththu Sivalingam | Social Welfare & Primary Industries |
| 14. Nishantha Muthuhettigamage | Ports and Shipping |
| 15. Palitha Kumara Thevarapperuma | Sustainable Development, Wildlife and Regional Development |
| 16. Ranjan Ramanayake | Social Empowerment |
| 17. Sarathi Dushmantha | Buddha Sasana
Justice & Prison Reforms |
| 18. Ajith Mannapperuma | Environment (12 June 2018) |
| 19. Angajan Ramanathan | Agriculture (12 June 2018) |
| 20. Nalin Bandara Jayamah | Public Administration and Management and Law and Order (12 June 2018) |
| 21. Edward Gunasekara | Internal Affairs and Wayamba Development (12 June 2018) |
| 22. Cader Mastan | Rehabilitation, Resettlement, Northern Development and Hindu Religious Affairs (12 June 2018) |
Some confusions
Ministry of National Integration & Reconciliation & Official Languages / National Unity & Co-existence
One of the Presidents 3 portfolios is as Minister of National Integration and Reconciliation http://nirmin.gov.lk/web/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=55&Itemid=175&lang=en however Mano Ganeshan is also given the same title plus another title Minister of National Integration, Reconciliation & Official Languages http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.lk/cab/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=23&Itemid=66&lang=en&InNo=744
As per 1 May 2018 Mano Ganeshan has been made Minister National Co-existence & Reconciliation & Official Languages.
http://mncdol.gov.lk/web/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33&Itemid=154&lang=en
So we have the President as Minister of National Integration & Reconciliation & Mano Ganesh as the Minister of National Co-existence & Reconciliation! What are they both doing?
H. M. Fowzie is the State Minister of National Integration under President Sirisena
A H M Fouzie is also featured as State Minister of National Unity and Co-existence (Is he drawing two salaries?)
Ali Zahir Moulana Seyed is the Deputy Minister of National Integration, Reconciliation and Official Languages
There are 2 Secretaries too
Mr. M.Y.S. Deshapriya is the Secretary, Ministry of National Integration, Reconciliation and Official Languages
Mr. S. Nanayakkara is the Secretary, State Ministry of National Integration and Reconciliation
The Ministry of National Integration & Reconciliation was established by Extraordinary Gazette on 21 September 2015 & Amended by Extraordinary Gazette on 18 December 2015.
National Policies and Economic Affairs
The PM is the Minister of National Policies & Economic Affairs. He has 2 State Ministers with the same title – Dr Harsha de Silva & Niroshan Perera. WHY?
Sustainable Development, Wildlife & Regional Development
As of May 1st the Minister is Sarath Fonseka & the Deputy Minister is Palitha Thevapperuma. However the previous Deputy Minister was Sumedha Jayasena.
Labor & Trade Union Relations / Labor & Trade Union Relations & Sabaragamuwa Development
On the website of the Office of Cabinet Ministers ONLY the Minsitry of Labor & Trade Union Relations is mentioned with Minister Ravindra Samaraweera appointed on 1 May 2018 http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.lk/cab/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=23&Itemid=66&lang=en&InNo=708
However there is a website for Labor & Trade Union Relations & Samaragamuwa Development with the same Minister http://www.labourmin.gov.lk/web/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=177&Itemid=177&lang=en
Ministry of Development Strategies & International Trade
In the official website Malik Samarawickrema is the Minister of Development Strategies & International Trade & in the same website the State Minister is Sujeewa Senasinghe but his title is State Minister of International Trade (the Development Strategies is dropped out)
http://modsit.gov.lk/minister-of-development-strategies-and-international-trade.html
Monthly Salaries & Allowances to MPs (Cabinet, State, Deputy) by the Parliament
MP salaries & wages were increased in 2006 by the same government by double what they were previously given.
Basic Salary Rs.54,285 (a High Court Judge is paid the same)
Fuel Allowance Rs.15,000 – Rs.65,000
Personal staff wages Rs.80,000 – Rs.100,000
Telephone Rs.50,000
Transportation Rs.10,000
Attendance Rs.500 per every sitting
Rent Rs.50,000 p.m
Entertainment Rs.1000
Insurance Rs.200,000 (proposal to increase insurance to Rs.500,000)
Vehicle Rs.10m or US$62,500 exempt from tariffs (tax relief is Rs.33m)
free body massages
Presidents Salary Rs. 97,500
PM’s Salary Rs. 71,500
Speaker Rs. 68,500
Deputy Speaker Rs. 54,285
MPs outside Colombo are entitled to a 900sq.ft house
Ministers are provided with 2-storey houses in Cinnamon Gardens plus $50,000 worth duty-free vehicles.
MPs also enjoy bank loan facilities on very easy & simple terms & concessions for the education of their children.
State pension After 5 years ‘service’
Parliament pays Rs.12.2 million a month in MPs’ salaries excluding the salary of the President. Annually the tax payer ends up footing Rs.164.4m minimum for 225 MPs.
Food in Parliament (2017)
Breakfast Rs.100 (previously it was Rs.60)
Lunch Rs.200 (previously it was Rs.150)
If an MP hosts lunch for more than 12 persons cost per person is Rs..600 (Rs.7200)
Present rate is Rs.250 per guest
Salaries paid by the Relevant Ministry
Cabinet Minister Rs.65,000 (Ministry spends for 3 vehicles, security jeep)
According to Acting Minister of Transport Ashoka Abeysinghe (5 June 2018) the PM had proposed to appoint Government Members of Parliament as Monitoring MPs to Ministries.
The benefit package to each MP would be over Rs.300,000 each in addition to the salary & benefits they receive.
During the Third Reading debate on Budget proposals for 2017 the PM said the monthly salaries for MPs was not enough to fulfil their duties & that the salaries of MPs needed to be increased to ‘strengthen the parliamentary system’. The PM proposed Rs.100,000 p.m. allowance to each MP to carry out duties in his electorate as well as air travel facilities for MPs in the North & East.
It has also been proposed to give luxury vehicles for 30 MPs to carry out ‘development
work & since it was difficult to carry out their duties due to the poor conditions of the roads they needed luxury vehicles (Rajitha Senaratna MP)
Vehicles for MPs
In March 2017 Supplementary Estimate sought by Chief Whip of the Government MP Gayantha K for Rs.537,962,790 to purchase vehicles for
7 Ministers,
3 State Ministers
2 Deputy Ministers
Rs.42.6m vehicle for the Special Assignments Minister
Rs.42m vehicle for the Telecommunication & Digital Infrastructure Minister
Rs.86m vehicle for State Minister of Irrigation & Water Resources Management
Rs.41m vehicle for Science, Technology & Research Minister
Rs.43m vehicle for Tourism & Christian Affairs Minister
Rs.43m for the Higher Education & Highways Minister
Rs.43m for the Sustainable Development & Wild Life Minister
Rs.62.2m vehicles for the Auditor General’s Department
The Government had spent Rs.108m on foreign trips for Ministers & MPs (2017)
In May 2017 a supplementary estimate was sought approval to spend over Rs.360m to purchase vehicles for some ministers & renovate official residences.
http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/Rs-mn-sought-to-purchase-ministers-vehicles–129694.html
Rs.154m to purchase new vehicles for Ministry of Defence under President
Rs.120m to purchase new vehicles for Ministry of Finance
Rs.43m to purchase a vehicle for Deputy Minister of Rural Economy
Rs.16m to purchase a vehicle for Minister of Development Strategies & International Trade
Rs.3.4m to repair official residence of Social Empowerment & Social Welfare Minister
Rs.1.2m to repair official residence of Digital Infrastructure Development Minister
Rs.5.9m to renovate Central Province Governor’s official residence.
Foreign Trips by President (excludes private visits)
2015 – 10 trips to 10 countries
2016 – 12 trips to 9 countries
2017 – 7 trips to 7 countries
2018 – 1 trip so far (Iran)
Foreign Trips by Prime Minister (excludes private visits)
2015 – 2 (India & Japan)
2016 – 6 trips to 6 countries
2017 – 8 trips to 8 countries
2018 – 2 trips so far
If this burden is not enough on the tax payer, the government has by doubled the local government members.
Previously 4486 Local Government Members were elected to 340 Local Authorities (Municipal Councils, Urban Councils, Pradeshiya Sabhas).
Now instead of 4486 8356 Local Government Members have been elected through the new system introduced by this government increasing the tax burden of Rs.21billion to Rs.34billion.
What have these Ministers done? Do they even care about the suffering of the people, the severities each family undergoes to eat, educate their children, provide the basic of comforts?
It is just despicable that these MPs are so inconsiderate of the people. Do they not see the people languishing in hospitals waiting for treatment, patients who have to pawn whatever they have to buy medicines, people who are living off loans & victims of interest sharks….
Do these MPs not have a heart & even after living off the sweat & toil of the workers, these MPs devise ways and means to keep us divided, to manufacture conflicts, pay people to spread lies & rumours all to keep us distracted & diverted from questioning them.
Its time people wake up from their slumber.
Shenali D Waduge
June 13th, 2018 at 5:21 pm
It should be very clear to all patriots that it is the executive presidency that is ruining the nation. When the president visits foreign countries, he takes a large contingent with his family members. It is the EP that creates jumbo Cabinets. Helicopted rides to self and family (even pets). This is not confined to Sirisena.
This violates the Constitution. It says the total of the Cabinet should be 30 but it can have any number if there’s a “national government”. There is no national government as the majority of the UPFA has left the ruling party but the president can violate the constitution.
The country is broke but there’s enough money to waste in the north and pay compensation to “war victims” (Tamils only), maintain provincial council white elephants and a massive number of local government bodies. What a joke!
The right governance for Sri Lanka is to abolish EP, PCs and LGs and to fully empower parliament and a 30 member Cabinet along with an independent judiciary (parliament has not interefered with it). That money saved can be used to cut taxes. It will make politics unpopular for money-minded crooks and only keep a few dedicated people in politics.
Newly elected Pradeshiya Sabhas did nothing to provide flood relief recently but I noticed a number of winners of the February 2018 election have purchased luxury vehicles and shamelessly showing them off in their Facebook pages. It benefits all sides of politics and so no one complains.
June 13th, 2018 at 8:17 pm
Agree with Dilrook Ex-Prezdancy MUST Go.
It is Ex-Prez who made us a Federal State by signing Indo-lanka accord and subsequently introducing 13A.
This incident alone is engough to get rid of it !
This unlawful car buying selling is cold blooded murder of motherlanka.
Please add names of opposition members(including JVP) too ! They too purchased vehicles and except JVP, sold at huge profit.
Time to re-introduce Sinhala Only for a new start and death penalty for stealing more than Rs.100000 public money.
June 14th, 2018 at 4:04 pm
Dilrook says “it is the executive presidency that is ruining the nation.”
BS & HOGWASH! NOTHING is FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH!
It is the EXECUTIVE PRESIDENCY that has SAVED Sri Lanka, while HUNG Parliaments with Minority KINGMAKERS have VERY NEARLY DESTROYED Sri Lanka.
EVERY Nation worldwide threatened by POWERFUL ENEMIES from within and without have ADOPTED the EXECUTIVE PRESIDENTIAL FORM of Government for its SUPERIOR STABILITY & QUICK RESPONSE to National Security.
EXAMPLES ABOUND: USA, France, Russia and China to name a few.
Neither EXECUTIVE PRESIDENCIES nor Westminister-style Parliamentary Democracies CAN SURVIVE the ELECTION of WEAK INCOMPETENT UNPATRIOTIC leaders as Presidents and/or Prime Ministers.
However, the QUALITY of LEADERSHIP must NOT BE CONFUSED with the QUALITY and EFFICIENCY of the FORM of GOVERNANCE!
The EXECUTIVE PRESIDENTIAL FORM of GOVERNANCE has GREATER IN-BUILT STABILITY than OFFSETS Weak Leadership to a greater degree…… as WE SEE RIGHT NOW in Sri Lanka.
Had Sri Lanka not had an EXECUTIVE PRESIDENT, it would have DISINTEGRATED into SEPARATE STATES by NOW under the PARA-GATHI AGA-MATHI Ranil Wikunanasighe and his BAND of 40-THIEVES BRIBED to THE HILT!
June 14th, 2018 at 5:03 pm
@Ananda
Before EP was introduced we had bold leaders almost always and they didn’t go begging to minority leaders. After EP was introduced, all EPs were begging minority leaders for votes including JR. Its a pity you have forgotten how an EP was helpless when his minister of justice called Buddhist monks “saffron terrorists” and the minister of trade chopped a national reserve and a terrorist responsible for Aranthalawa massacre and the Dalada Maligawa attack had to be appointed a minister! When there was no EP, this was unthinkable.
If not for EP, we would have won the war in 1987. It was the EP that stopped the war fearing Indians. In 1953 we had far more pressure from the US, UK and India not to sign the rubber-rice pact but we did. In 1956 we had similar pressure but our leaders prevailed. In 1963 the most powerful companies in the world and leaders threatened the government but they continued with nationalising petroleum. If you read Dayan’s inside account of what happened in 2008 and 2009, the EP agreed for federalism (13A) plus more devolution to continue the war and also at the end of the war.
Just imagine if Ranil or someone else of his views becoming EP?
Or someone like him losing the presidential election – the world sees the Tamil Eelam map at presidential elections clearly displaying the differences in political aspirations within the island.
Also consider the context of the EP seedlings. It was in 1968 when the Dudley-Chelva Pact had fatal problems (mainly caused by nationalist elements within the SLFP – the “masala wade” campaign) the father of EP made public his intention to create the elected EP post that naturally favoured the UNP with minority votes. The 2015 January election truly brought home the horrors of EP. Despite 60% of Sinhalese rejecting Sirisena he not only won the EP, but also appointed the PM, all ministers and even the Opposition Leader. This could never happen before EP or in parliamentary elections.
June 16th, 2018 at 9:16 am
This is the sad fact we Sri Lankans have to live with, corruption and criminality to the core. There should be day of reckoning for them.
If one even steal a pencil or rob any money from the employers in the private sector that person would spend time in jail.
Our politicians are getting away with robbery and even murder.