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SJB’s Gammanpila NCM soundly defeated 

20 Jul 2021

  • 152 votes against, 61 in favour, 12 abstainees 
  • JVP Leader accuses Gammanpila of corruption 
  • NPP-UNP slam SJB’s Gammanpila target plan
BY Pamodi Waravita and Aazam Ameen The main Parliamentary Opposition, the Samagi Jana Balawegeya’s (SJB) no confidence motion (NCM) against Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila was defeated in Parliament yesterday (20), with 152 votes against it and 61 votes in favour of it. The two day debate on the no confidence motion against Gammanpila, moved by SJB Parliamentarian S.M. Marikkar, began on Monday (19).  The motion claimed that Gammanpila had not obtained approval from the Cabinet of Ministers for the recent fuel price hike, alleges that he has not used the profits earned by the Government when the price of fuel was falling to rescue the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) from indebtedness to the State Banks, and that he has failed in his capacity as the Energy Minister.  A total of 12 MPs abstained from voting yesterday.  Three Members of Parliament from the Governing Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Party were unable to attend the debate and vote on the no confidence motion tabled by the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) against Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila as they are currently ill, The Morning learnt.  The MPs concerned are Chamal Rajapaksa, Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe and Udayakantha Gunathilaka.  Speaking to The Morning, Leader of the House of Parliament Dinesh Gunawardena stated that the Governing MPs who were absent today have been unwell for the past few days.  He also stated that three Muslim MPs from the Eastern Province who had voted with the Government during Constitutional amendments also did not vote.  Meanwhile Chief Opposition Whip of Parliament Lakshman Kiriella told The Morning that three Opposition MPs were also unable to vote.  “Harin Fernando is out of the country, Rishad Bathiudeen and Velu Kumar are in hospital,” he stated.  SJB MP Hector Appuhamy said that the no confidence motion was brought on behalf of the people who are suffering due to the cost of living in the country.  “The transport and fisheries industries were especially heavily affected by the fuel price hike,” added Appuhamy.  Speaking in the Parliament during the debate, the National People’s Power (NPP) MP and Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake claimed that Gammanpila has evaded his responsibilities as the Energy Minister to provide relief to the public.  “As the current Minister, you have a responsibility that you cannot let go of. When the fuel price dropped in the world market, instead of giving that relief to the public, you said that you would build a fund to stabilise the fuel price. The Government also has a responsibility to do that. The Government cannot change Ministers every six months and evade such responsibilities.”  Dissanayake further leveled allegations against Gammanpila of corruption. “The Ceylon Petroleum Storage Terminals Limited (CPSTL) spent Rs. 15 million to refurbish your house. When the country is facing such an economic crisis, the Minister who said that the oil price cannot be stabilised due to the country’s problems, found the money from the CPSTL to renovate his house. The CPSTL President is the current Justice Minister, President’s Counsel M.U.M. Ali Sabry’s brother,” further claimed Dissanayake.  However, both Dissanayake and United National Party (UNP) MP Ranil Wickremesinghe agreed during the debate that the no confidence motion was brought at a politically unsuitable time, as it had led to the unity of the Government camp at a time when the dissenting voices of the various parties within the pro-Government camp were being heard.  Following the decision to increase retail fuel prices, the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) issued a statement signed by its General Secretary MP Sagara Kariyawasam on 12 June, slamming Gammanpila. However, on Monday, the SLPP stated that it would vote against the no confidence motion. Gammanpila has stated on multiple occasions that the fuel price hike was agreed upon after consultations with the fuel pricing committee and also authorised by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. 

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