Former Deputy Leader of the United National Party and MP Ravi Karunanayake has questioned the government over the use and proposed policy changes relating to the Employees’ Provident Fund and the Employees’ Trust Fund.
He asked how the current government, which opposed proposed changes to EPF-related policies while in opposition, now intends to address the objections being raised against the similar proposals it is introducing while in power.
Raising the issue in Parliament, the MP also asked what steps the government has taken to ensure that incidents such as the death of a person linked to a similar proposal in 2011 will not be repeated.
Karunanayake further questioned why priority has not been given to merging the Employees’ Provident Fund and the Employees’ Trust Fund into an independent joint fund governed by a non-political authority.
He also sought clarification on the legal safeguards in place to ensure that the combined assets of Rs. 6.2 trillion held by the EPF and ETF will not be used to settle government debts or arrears.
