“This is the only Govt. whose every plan is a plot against the people”

(May 28, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Ravi Karunanayake, the UNP M.P. addressing the Media today (28 May) said that this Govt. has established a world record as being unique, because, every plan drawn up by it is not to develop the country or improve the living conditions of the people, but, rather to plot against the people who elected it into power, looking out for every possible avenue to raise prices, tariffs, taxes and heap burdens on them while giving false excuses and explanations.

After increasing the fuel prices for the 14th time within just over two years in power, it says, this is necessitated by the World market hikes. Whom is it trying to fool? , he asked. This necessity has been occasioned, because of the Govt.’s mismanagement of finances, corruption, reckless profligacy and a largest cabinet of over 108 Ministers who are slyly eating into and nibbling the country’s economy faster than the fastest eating rats!

Govt.’s Mihin Air suffered a loss of Rs. 3300 million and left an unpaid debt of Rs. 898 million to the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC). All these losses have to be recovered by the Govt. from the masses by price hikes and taxes, he asserted.

The Govt. is levying a tax of 42 % on the fuel! Which was again increased a few days ago. It is these taxes which is swelling the fuel price, not the World market, he exclaimed.

During the UNP tenure too , we had this ethnic war , and even while there was a raging Iraq war , and when the whole world faced an economic crisis , Sri Lanka maintained its economic equilibrium by taking well thought out measures like the Global oil price formula which was hailed by this Govt.’s own Minister Bandula Gunawardena a few days ago , who went on to blame the present Govt. for not continuing with that formula , and as the cause of this miserable oil crisis burdening the people beyond endurance.

Can’t this Govt. understand the far reaching adverse impact these reckless price hikes can engender? Already the Minister of Power and energy has hinted at another tariff hike on electricity over and above the one just a few weeks ago! Not only bus fares and train fares are going up, even the food prices will shoot up, he bitterly lamented.

Of what purpose is a Govt. which has broken the World record as the largest cabinet in the World of 108 Ministers, if all the Ministers are fiascoes like the Govt. itself unable to do anything properly.?

The Foreign Minister waxed eloquent that Sri Lanka is going to win with an absolute majority at the recently concluded UNHRC elections, which finally turned out to be a disastrous defeat.

The Human rights Minister also went globetrotting wasting people’s money, purportedly to canvass for the UNHRC election, only to end up with this negative result.

There is the Petroleum Minister who publicly promises that he will not raise prices of fuel , but privately and secretly raises it feigning ignorance of the hikes.

Minister Amunugama, the Minister in charge of BOI projects gleefully says 124 BOI projects closed down after this Govt. and thousands lost their jobs thereby, to which the Govt. has not found a single solution.

Minister of Power and energy says he has no choice than to raise electricity tariffs again.

Of what use are Ministers like these who have no concern for the welfare of the people, and who cannot sole the people’s problems? Karunanayake asked.

He urged the Press to make a contribution towards saving the country by joining hands with the UNP and communicating to the public the true position and the economic holocaust it is fast heading.
- Sri Lanka Guardian