Price hike and the economic setback!

– Virakesari Editorial

(September 24, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) People are facing economic crisis due to high cost of living. They are unable to cope up with their expenses. Electricity charges, water charges, transport fares and all other charges have been increasing in recent times.

The prices of basic food items have gone up day by day and people are unable to consume quality products. People express distress that even though this problem has been brought to the notice of the authorities, it has fallen on deaf ears.

Government explained that the price of the crude oil was increased because the price of the crude oil and gas went up in the World market. It is unfortunate that even though price in the international market has come down, the people of this country are unable to enjoy the benefit.

Meanwhile, JVP has organized a protest rally in Colombo protesting against government failure to reduce the price of oil.

“Government will not reduce the price and reduce the burden of the people. It is getting ready to implement new taxes and increase people’s burden. It a betrayal of the people” JVP General Secretary Vijitha Herath has said.

He further says “ it is proved again and again government doesn’t have an acceptable economic policy. As a result, the people are sufferings. Government has increased price of the oil to recover from the loss it has faced by its wrong economic policy and corruption”.

Political leaders should not forget the reality. Beyond the question of the increase in oil prices, war expenses are also another reason for the present economic crisis in the country. The extremists and the JVP were giving green signal for the commencement of the war.

As a result of the war, people’s tragedy is increasing in on the one hand and on the other hand, there is an economic set back. Large sums of money, which must be utilized for development and the improvement of the standard of living of the people, are spent unnecessarily on war.

Therefore, if all political forces unite to find peace, the increasing cost of living can be controlled.

(An English translation of the Editorial in Virakesari, a Tamil daily based in Colombo.) - Sri Lanka Guardian