The Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Nimal Siripala De Silva and UPFA MP Kumara Welgama had a heated argument during the budget debate yesterday.

Silva stated that previous government had failed to pay the EPF and ETF to employees of the Transportation Board for last five years and had bought new buses when the revenue was even insufficient to pay employees’ salaries.

The showdown took place when Welgama denied criticism leveled at him over his conduct as Transport Minister.