Security guards, defeated lawmakers among them
By Saman indarajith
Acting on complaints that some persons are unlawfully occupying many of the MPs’ quarters at Madiwela, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena has ordered a special probe. He has called for a report urgently.It has been alleged that some of the MPs houses, numbering 120, are occupied by outsiders, including security guards.
Besides, there are complaints that some former MPs have not left the official residences despite repeated reminders, and therefore some of the sitting MPs have been left without quarters.The Speaker would ask the Mirihana Police to conduct a separate investigation, Parliament sources said, adding that though Parliament had a separate police division it was not tasked with providing security to the Madiwela MPs’ housing complex. The area is under the Mirihana Police.
Each housing unit has three bedrooms, a kitchen, a living room, a dining room, a staff toilet and parking space. The houses are made available to the MPs on rent, and they are required to vacate them upon retirement or defeat. The Speaker is expected to inform Parliament of the probe findings and action he proposes to take against those who are unlawfully occupying MPs’ houses.Some MP quarters are being used as political party offices, according to sources.
