New Govt.’s mini-budget passed with a two-thirds majority

The interim budget – seen as the first test for the new national unity government -- was passed with a two-thirds majority in Parliament yesterday with 164 members voting for and one against.

Members of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), which has pledged to support the 100day programme of the new government voted for the budget along with members of the Tamil National Alliance.

Independent MP Ajith Kumara who broke away from the JVP, asked for a vote to be taken and was the only MP to vote against the interim budget.

UPFA MPs Dinesh Gunawardena Wimal Weerawansa, D.E.W. Gunasekera, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Tissa Vitarana, Sriyani Wije- wickrema, Geetanjana Gunewardena, Chandrasiri Gajadeera, Weerakumara Dissanayake, Y.G. Pathmasiri abstained from voting.

Three members of the JVP which has pledged support for the new Government’s programme was not present at voting time. Also absent were about 40 other MPs and it was not clear whether the reasons for their absence was political or otherwise.

Among those who voted for the budget were Opposition MPs Namal Rajapaksa, son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, and Sajin de Vass Gunewardena.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe thanked all the MPs who voted for the budg- et, those who abstained and the solitary MP who cast the negative vote.

The Prime Minister said the vote on the budget, which was presented on January 29 by the new Finance Minister, Ravi Karunanayake, indicated the dawn of a new political culture and a member voting against reflected democracy within the House.