Pension scheme provided for Parliamentarians should be scrapped – Danasiri

August 02, 2020

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SLPP candidate Danasiri Amaratunge says the pension scheme provided for Parliamentarians should be scrapped.

Speaking to Hari TV in an interview he said that the current pension scheme given to former MPs should be suspended as it is unfair.

“You stay 5 years in Parliament and then you get pension for life. This is not fair by other citizens. There are many former MPs who get pension from their 30s. This has to stop” he said.

Danasiri Amaratunge, the former mayor of the Dehiwela-Mount Lavaniya Municipal council also said if MPs really need a pension then it has to be given only for those who have served atleast 4 to 5 terms in Parliament.

“If you really need it then it has to be given for MPs who have atleast stayed in Parliament for long periods. Like 20 years”, he said.

Danasiri Amaratunge, who is contesting the General Election from Colombo said that he will try his best to bring legislation to parliament to abolish the current pension scheme which only requires a minimum service period of 5 years in Parliament to qualify to receive pension.

In the interview Danasiri Amaratunge was also questioned about Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna not fielding any Tamil or Muslim candidates for Colombo district.

Responding to the question, the former mayor said that he does not think that parties should name candidates according to the race of the candidate.

“I am a candidate representing all communities, you can check with the Dehiwela-Mount Lavaniya people on how I looked after all communities”, he added. (NewsWire)