Oral questions taken up in Parliament

Following are some of the few oral questions raised in Parliament by MPs from both the government and opposition during this week’s Parliament and answers given by the subject ministers:

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP Rajika Wickramasinghe asked the Minister of Mass Media to provide details of the annual income and the expenditure of the Department of Posts separately; the amount annually spent on the salaries and allowances of the department; the types of allowances paid to the employees of the department; and the annual revenue earned by the department through provision of external postal services.

As per the answers provided by State Minister of Mass Media Shantha Bandara, the Department of Posts earned Rs. 9269 million in revenue in 2022 while its expenditure for the year was Rs. 16, 272 million. For 2023, the Postal Department had earned revenue amounting to Rs. 6541million up until June 30 while its expenditure during the same period amounted to Rs. 8166 million, it was further disclosed.

In 2022, the Department spent Rs. 14, 511 million on salaries and allowances for its staff. In 2023, it has spent Rs. 7156 million on salaries and allowance for staff members up until June 30, it was further revealed.

Minister Bandara told Parliament that there are 13 different allowances for Postal Department staff, though not everyone gets all allowances.

In 2022, the Department earned Rs. 1121 million from external postal services while in 2023, this amount was Rs. 804 million up until June 30.

Minister Bandara said the Department of Posts was suffering losses amounting to Rs. 7000 million when the government took over but these losses have been reduced now to Rs. 4000 million. He said measures are being taken to ensure that the Department of Posts becomes a profitable institution rather than one being propped up by the State, and said new technology will be included in these efforts.

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Ajith Mannapperuma asked the Minister of Urban Development & Housing whether he admits that the “X-Press Pearl” shipwreck caused massive environmental damage; and the current progress in the process of calculating the said environmental damage and providing compensation in respect the disaster.

In his answer, State Minister of Urban Development and Housing Arundika Fernando stated that he accepts that the X-Press Pearl disaster caused massive environmental damage. He said an expert panel appointed by the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) to assess the environmental damage has already completed two interim reports that have been forwarded to the Attorney General for onward action.

As per the second interim report, environmental damage caused by the disaster has been calculated at USD 6.483 billion. The AG’s Department has now filed a civil case in Singapore based on the findings of this report. However, the second interim report has only calculated damages up until the period ending on November 30, 2022 and further assessment is necessary to calculate the losses from environmental damage sustained thereafter, Minister Fernando said.