The Island
The Opposition may not agree with the SLFP-led coalition on many contentious issues, but there is a general consensus on a recent decision to increase the value of the duty-free vehicle permits issued to MPs. Although both government and Opposition MPs blamed one another for pushing for a higher value permit, none of the political parties had opposed the move, political sources said.
The government recently decided to increase the value of duty-free vehicle permits from $ 35,000 to $ 50,000. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
JVP MP Vijitha Herath, who is also the Secretary of the Democratic National Alliance (DNA), said that they were yet to decide whether to take advantage of the enhanced facility.
Asked by The Island whether the JVP would utilise the previous facility, the Gampaha District MP said that the JVP would take a decision following talks with other MPs. He pointed out that because the seven-member DNA parliamentary group included three persons who were not members of the JVP (DNA leader General Sarath Fonseka, Arjuna Ranatunga and National List MP Tiran Alles) a decision could be taken only after consulting them. He accused the government of making a foolish attempt to deceive the public by saying that the Opposition had demanded an increase in the value of duty-free vehicle permits.
He said that UNP MP John Amaratunga had mentioned the matter as members were leaving a recent meeting of party leaders.
The Island raised the same issue with National Freedom Front (NFF) leader Minister Wimal Weerawansa, who defended the government decision on the basis that unlike on previous occasions, members of the seventh Parliament would have to pay a 17 to 18 per cent tax if they imported duty-free vehicles.
When it was pointed out that the government, while imposing a nominal tax on MPs, had increased the value of the duty free permit, Minister Weerawansa said no sooner had the government announced 50 per cent reduction of vehicle import taxes, the prices of vehicles from Japan were raised.
Apart from Minister Weerawansa, two other NFF MPs, Weerakumara Dissanayake and Achala Jagoda would benefit from the duty free facility.
Sources said that since the introduction of the facility, UNP Deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya was the only longstanding MP who had never utilised the concession.
Sources alleged that there was a good market for MPs’ car permits and it was no secret that they sold their permits to third parties. An MP quipped: “Some MPs take into consideration how much they can receive for their permit when they spend on a political campaign. A permit can fetch as much as Rs. 7 to 9 million.”