The opposition slammed the government in parliament yesterday for choosing to have former Maldivian President and current Speaker of the Maldivian parliament Mohamed Nasheed represent Sri Lanka as part of its delegation to the 27th United Nations Climate Change conference. Questioning the government’s decision Samagi Jana Balawegaya MP, Nalin Bandara, while Sri Lanka is a sovereign nation, the government however has chosen the Maldivian speaker to represent the country at the COP27.

“Is there no MP from the government suitable to represent the government at the COP27? If the government has no suitable person then is there no other capable person? Mohamed Nasheed has been appointed resulting in Sri Lanka losing face before the world,” Bandara said.

Responding to Bandara, Minister Susil Premajayantha, Leader of the House of Parliament gave an elaborate explanation of how the COP27 was formed. He said the COP27 was an important event, and a leader of the country must attend. “There is no issue about it,” he said, adding that it is unclear why the opposition was questioning the event.

Bandara however noting Premajayantha had avoided answering the question posed, once again asked why the government had chosen to spend Sri Lankan government funds on Mohamed Nasheed to have him represent Sri Lanka at the event.

Leader of the National People’s Power, Anura Kumara Dissanayake slammed the President’s decision to attend the event at a time the country is grappling with a host of issues. “Is this the time to attend an environmental seminar? It is a time when the country is facing a serious catastrophe, Children are suffering without food, Older citizens are dying without medicines, Farmers have been left without their livelihoods due to destroyed crops, youth are losing employment opportunities, production companies are collapsing, and people’s vehicles are being seized. This is the country’s situation. While the situation remains thus the President is now attending a seminar along with the Maldivian speaker, ” he said.

The NPP leader demanded the government reveal to parliament who bore Nasheed’s expenses. “These leaders have no empathy for the people’s sufferings. They have no feeling or sensitivity about the people.” he accused.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe appointed former Maldivian president Mohamed Nasheed as his International Climate Advisor in October this year.

Nasheed has also come under fire in his home country for representing Sri Lanka at COP27, the UN’s climate change summit which kicked off Sunday in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm El Sheikh.

The former Attorney General of the Maldives Dr Mohamed Munawwar questioned Nasheed’s representation of another country while being paid by the people of Maldives as speaker. Former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom also expressed similar sentiments while Former assistant commissioner of police Abdullah Fairoosh in a tweet questioned whether Nasheed’s prioritisation of another country while acting as speaker of parliament posed a conflict of interest.