Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya
2026-02-19
Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya responded to remarks by Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri regarding the JVP and NPP's financial transparency, affirming that these parties maintain and publicly account for their funds. She invited the SJB, UNP, and SLPP to similarly disclose their party accounts for public comparison. She confirmed the established practice within the JVP and NPP of members directing their parliamentary salaries and allowances to party funds, describing this as a longstanding and openly acknowledged aspect of their political culture. She declined to provide individual accounts of members' personal financial circumstances, noting the diversity of their situations.
Hon. Speaker, I thank Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri for pointing out that the JVP and the NPP have, over the years, maintained transparent accounts. I encourage the SJB, UNP, and SLPP also to discuss their party accounts publicly so we can all compare how party funds are raised and used.
It is well known that, as a matter of political culture, JVP and NPP Members do not personally keep their salaries or allowances; they are credited to party funds. That is neither new nor secret. As for how individual Members live, our personal circumstances differ and I do not intend to narrate 159 life stories in this Chamber.