Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa today accused the Government of waking up only after 38 days of inaction, claiming that sustained protests by the Samagi Jana Balawegaya had forced authorities to announce a relief package for the public.
Speaking in Parliament in response to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s statement, Premadasa said the opposition had for weeks urged the Government and the President to provide relief to people affected by economic pressure, hardship and shock.
He claimed the Government, which had remained inactive until now, had suddenly come forward with a list of promises, while also attempting to criticise the opposition.
Premadasa said similar promises had earlier been made to people affected by the Dittuwa cyclone, including compensation, land and financial assistance, but many of those pledges had not been fulfilled, resulting in affected citizens taking to the streets in protest.
While welcoming the latest relief measures, he urged the Government to ensure they are properly implemented and expanded further.
Premadasa also claimed that the President had now effectively admitted that the coal imported to the country was of poor quality, noting that the opposition had raised the issue earlier but had been dismissed by Government representatives.
He said the lower electricity generation seen at the power plant, including on the previous day, was evidence of the problem and alleged that this was the first time in history such a low level of electricity generation had taken place under a Government in this manner.
The Opposition Leader further argued that Sri Lanka could not repay its debts by shrinking the economy, adding that if there had been a proper understanding of the economic multiplier effect, the focus would have been on increasing production and services rather than reducing circulation and weakening growth.
He also renewed calls for the Government to renegotiate the agreement with the International Monetary Fund, saying that the administration had earlier promised to revise the deal but had failed to do so.
Premadasa alleged that the opposition had always asked the IMF to provide relief to the people and had never sought to sacrifice the public, but now claimed that opportunities for the opposition to meet IMF representatives had been restricted.
He also criticised the Government’s Rs. 100 billion relief package as inadequate, claiming that gas consumers had been left out and that nearly 2.5 million people had not received sufficient support.
Premadasa said the relief package should be increased, while warning that fresh tax proposals presented to Parliament would further burden consumers.
He also said the Government was ignoring a fertiliser shortage in the country, claiming that not only urea, but also MOP and TSP fertilisers were in short supply despite official denials.
