Cabinet approves supplementary expenditure estimate

Colombo (News 1st) - A meeting of the Cabinet of ministers was chaired by President Maithripala Sirisena today (November 21) where Minister Bandula Gunawardena stated that cabinet approval was granted to draft a supplementary expenditure estimate until the budget proposal is presented to parliament. Upon an inquiry by Newsfirst, Minister S.B Dissanayake stated that Minister of tourism and Wildlife Wasantha Senanayake who previously said that he will resign from his ministerial portfolio was also present at the Cabinet meeting. He added that Vadivel Suresh who had also pledged his support to the UNP after he was sworn in as a state minister had also arrived at the venue where the cabinet meeting was held. Minister of Buddha Sasana, Udaya Gammanpila stated that it is clearly stated in Article 150 (2) of the constitution that the approval of Parliament is not needed to pay off debt that is due and therefore they would like to inform former minister Mangala Samaraweera not to create an economic crisis that is not there and further endanger the country. When a journalist commented to MP Gammanpila that the UNP stated that the meeting of the cabinet is illegal he responded stating that it is pointless commenting on the legality to the media and instead they should petition the courts.