Privilege status!

A recent disclosure that former Leader of the House Dinesh Gunawardena has returned Rs. 1,568,000 to his successor, Susil Premjayantha, has revealed that a Minister holding such positions are entitled to extra fuel allowances.

MEP leader Gunawardena, who served as the Leader of the House from January 2020 to July 2022, was sworn in as the Prime Minister after Wickremesinghe’s appointment as the President on July 20.

Sources said that the same privilege had been extended to the Chief Government Whip, the Opposition Leader, and the Chief Opposition Whip. The Opposition Leader and the Chief Opposition Whip receive an additional fuel allowance.

Such a privilege has been revealed at a time the government has introduced the national fuel pass to cut down on the fuel import bill and raised electricity, water rates to recover losses. (SF)