Names of 26 MPs who obtained monetary compensation as well as houses from the Viyathpura housing complex, in return for their houses gutted in fires during the ‘Aragalaya’ protest movement, have been revealed.
A total of 26 MPs had requested the then Speaker of Parliament to facilitate the provision of houses in Block 05 of the Viyathpura housing complex, located on Weera Mawatha, Pannipitiya. It is singular that the name of the then Speaker – Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena too is also on the list.
According to a statement issued by the media unit of the Ministry of Urban Development, Construction and Housing, a typical buyer is required to pay 50% of the house value upfront and settle the remaining amount within one year.
However, a method was created to allow the aforementioned MPs to reduce the downpayment to 25% and pay the balance over a period of 15 years, it adds.
It also adds that the value of the houses was determined by averaging the initial property valuation and the current valuation, with the resulting amount used as the final price.
The names in the list are : Prasanna Ranatunga, Mohommad Fawood Mohommad Muzammil, Opanayake Nimal Piyatissa, P.K. Don Gamini Jayananda Waleboda, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, Don Gamini Kulawansha Lokuge, R.M. Kumarasiri Ratnayake, Ajith Nishantha Rajapakshe, Chinthaka Amal Mayadunne, Sahan Pradeep Withana, Withana Pathiranage Milan Sajith Jayatillake, Tissakuttiarachchige Chaminda Janaka, Weerasinghe Dewage Weerasinghe, Asanka Samithajeewa Navaratne, H.M.D. Bandara Herath, Samrakoon Mudiyanselage Chandrasena, Rampata Devage Priyantha Ashoka, P.A.K. Athukorala, S.M.M. Musharaff, Premnath Chaminda Dolawatta, S.A. Semasinghe, Piyal Nishantha de Silva, Sumith Weerasinghe Udukumbura, Kulasingham Thileepan, Shantha Bandara, Lalith Warna Kumara
The statement and the list of MPs and details pertaining to their houses at Viyathpura are as follows :
