"Govt. must now win economic war and hearts of all as one Nation"

(June 17, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Addressing a media briefing at the UNP media unit today (17 Jun) , UNP M.P. Gayantha Karunatileke said , it is very clear that swindles ,Bribery and corruption allegedly in the Ministries and Government sector have reached an unprecedented high in the country . This was clearly underlined, when Vasudeva Nanayakkara, himself a Senior Presidential advisor, recently had occasion to urge the President to appoint a Committee to inquire into these problems which have hit monumental levels and rapidly spreading . Vasudeva’s request also implies that the existing Commissions and mechanisms to counter these scourges have been rendered ineffective or have been crippled . It is a widespread allegation that this has been deliberately done to achieve the ulterior motives of powerful politicians , some of whom are themselves guilty of these crimes.

In any event , it is the present trend , no matter what Committees and Commissions are appointed , the Govt.’s powerful bandicoots and sharks escape while only weak mosquitoes and mice are trapped. Citing the hedging ‘soodhuwa’ which incurred billions of rupees loss to the country due to the Petroleum Ministry and the Petroleum Corporation bungling , Karunatileke lamented that , finally it is the people who have to pay for the sins committed by the Govt. If the Govt. is truly interested in wiping out corruption , bribery, swindles and malpractices in its Ministries and sectors , it must invite active participation of the Opposition parties in these appointments of Committees and Commissions .Otherwise , it is obvious these appointments
are cover up plans and programs only, like all others of it to protect its Ministers, political stooges , henchmen , cronies and lackeys when found guilty.

All along the Govt. has become noted for its backstreet politics and policies . Even in regard to the IDPs who are dying and abysmally suffering , the Govt. is not prepared to allow the Opposition party members who are the true representatives of the people to visit these camps. Neither are the independent media allowed, thus raising suspicions in the public mind that rumors of IDPs dying in large numbers due to shortages of food, drugs and basic facilities are indeed true. Like the Govt. and the President , the Opposition and its leader have a right to know the actual and factual situation in the country . The UNP has always stood by the people while in or out of power . Besides it has always helped the Govt. in the hour of need and its good intentioned actions in the interests of the people ., though it has opposed the Govt. whenever it has not acted in the best interests of the country and the people, he pinpointed.

The Ministers who got accustomed to unalloyed idling , and only indulging in empty speeches during the period of the war , seem unable to rid themselves of these habits even after the war has been won by the Forces for them. The Heath Minister who seems to be afflicted by sloth going by appearances continues with specious arguments blaming all and sundry , instead of introducing any concerted plan to stop the dengue and other infectious diseases which are spreading at lightning speed. Now, even after his solemn assurances that he has taken all precautions against the deadly swine flu infection spreading to SL, a case of swine flu was detected yesterday , Karunatileke regretted .

-Sri Lanka Guardian