• MP Vijitha Herath likens same to a ‘dangerous bribe’ 

Likening the Ministry of Defence's decision to allow Parliamentarians to purchase two repeater shotguns and retain them even after their term of office is over to a form of bribery during the election period, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna-led National People's Power (NPP) Opposition Parliamentarian Vijitha Herath said that no MP representing the NPP would accept the offer.

The Ministry had informed the Secretary-General of Parliament Kushani Rohanadheera recently that MPs would be allowed to purchase two repeater shotguns each from their personal funds, and retain them even after they are out of office.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, Herath said that it is “very dangerous” to allow MPs to purchase repeater guns and keep them even after they are no longer in office. “This is totally wrong. Allowing MPs to possess guns at a time like this is particularly dangerous. It is bribing ahead of an election.” 

He also said that none of the MPs representing the NPP would take up the offer, adding that they had also refused to accept the pistols currently provided by the Government for MPs' security. “A pistol is given to MPs for their security at present, but we haven’t obtained it either. Similarly, we oppose this move and we will not obtain repeater guns,” he said. 

Speaking further, Herath said that a future Government led by the NPP would cease all unnecessary privileges granted to MPs such as weapons and vehicles.

Minister of Defence, President Ranil Wickremesinghe, State Minister of Defence Premitha Bandara Tennakoon and the Defence Ministry Secretary, General (Retired) Kamal Gunaratne were not available for comment. 

The repeater guns, if purchased by MPs, should be licensed annually in their respective Districts. MPs reportedly have the option to choose from three models. They have however been prohibited from transferring the guns to any other party, and carrying them to the Parliament and other crowded places. In response to concerns about allowing MPs to retain their guns after their term ends, The Daily Morning inquired from Speaker of the Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana about whether this decision might be problematic, to which he replied that he had no issue with it as the decision had been made by the Defence Ministry.