President Gotabaya Rajapaksa called upon the people not to be discouraged in the face of prevailing difficulties, but to be united as a nation to overcome problems, emphasising that his attempt was to immediately resolve the crisis and provide relief to the people.
The President was addressing the Nation on Wednesday.
He said that he is determined to make tough decisions to find solutions to the inconveniences that the people are experiencing.
President Rajapaksa in his 15-minute speech said we all need to understand that we have to face difficulties when implementing solutions for issues for a certain period, adding that he was well aware and also very sensitive to the many sufferings of the people due to shortages of LP gas, fuel and essential items and price hikes as well as power cuts.
He said, “I know that this situation will continue due to reasons beyond our control though we make the maximum possible efforts with regard to these situations. I accept responsibility for the actions I take. I have appointed a National Economic Council and an Advisory Committee to assist the Government. I will constantly monitor whether the decisions I make through this are implemented. I request you to have faith in the actions I will take on behalf of the people.”
The President said, “Our country is not the only country affected by the prevailing crisis. The entire world is engulfed in various hardships. Increasing shipping costs, rising commodity prices and shortages of certain goods caused by the Covid-19 pandemic are beyond our control. However, we have adopted concessionary initiatives for the benefit of the people.”
“This crisis was not created by me. When those who contributed to the creation of this crisis are criticising the Government in front of the people today, I am attempting to immediately resolve this crisis and provide relief to the people. In a crisis situation like this, it is the responsibility of the politicians and intellectuals to collectively find solutions to issues.
“You requested me to build a secure, disciplined, and modern developed country, and better education for your children. Almost two and a half years of my tenure were devoted to protecting you and your child from the pandemic. I will dedicate the remaining period of my tenure to accomplish those original goals,” he said.
“I entered politics on your invitation. All of you have placed an utmost trust in me. I will never betray the trust you have placed in me and will protect it with great commitment,” the President said.
‘Gangnam Style’
The main Opposition Samagi Janabalawegaya (SJB) took to the streets of Colombo on Tuesday and staged what they named as a Rata Vinasai demonstration urging the Government to quit.
SJB Leader and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa clad in a traditional UNP green mandarin collar shirt, Harin Fernando wearing what looked like a mango tango watersports jacket, Champika Ranawaka clad in a sophisticated deep saffron long sleeve Indian kurta, Party Treasurer and MP Harsha de Silva and former Presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka and other SJB Parliamentarians participated in the ‘Rata Vinasai’ demonstration.
They resembled a new ‘Gangnam Style’ at protest marches in Colombo and shouted slogans while making political speeches on megaphones. Some protesters marched to the ground near the Presidential Secretariat and demanded that the present Government surrender it to Sajith Premadasa.
Opposition Leader Premadasa told the protesters that the people are not in need of an administration, but instead a service. He said that people would not have to wait in fuel queues under a Government headed by him. SJB Parliamentarian Sarath Fonseka told the media that the protestors had already encircled the city of Colombo, and that their protest march will continue until the Government resigns and hands over power to a capable Party.
Protests - of no use to the people
SLPP Parliamentarian Jagath Kumara said that protests organised by the Opposition in Colombo will not affect the Government but will only bloat the egos of some Opposition leaders. He said that although the people were distressed by the rise in commodity prices due to the fall in foreign exchange reserves as a result of a number of factors related to the Covid-19 crisis, they were not prepared to give back power to the Yahapalana Government that had brought destruction to the country.
He told the media following his visit to the two Chief Prelates of the Malwatte and Asgiriya Chapters to receive their blessings, that when they were in the Opposition, he and his group engaged in thousands of similar protests and they only helped in the existence of the Opposition but was of no use to the people.
He said that the Government would move forward despite the Opposition holding even a thousand protests and that the opposition should understand that nothing will stop the Government. He said that the people have a good understanding of the time when Sajith, Ranil and others who are accusing the Government today, ruled the country and that the people gave two- thirds power to the present Government because they were fed up with Yahapalanaya.
Vajira’s daydreams
UNP Chairman Vajira Abeywardena said that the country should be handed over to former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe without further delay as it is proved that he is the only leader who can alleviate the suffering of thousands of people under the present regime
Addressing a media briefing, he recalled that when the UNP Government came to power in 2015, the prices of essential commodities including fuel and gas had skyrocketed and the lives of the people had collapsed. However, in a very short time, steps were taken to reduce the prices of those commodities and increase the income level of the people and build the country.
Abeywardena said, “Last Saturday and Sunday, we launched the UNP Member Promotion drive in Colombo district and it was a huge success. During those two days, over 80,000 people joined the UNP.”
He said many more are prepared to join the UNP and today they are rallying round the UNP than ever before. People have started talking about the UNP and its leader Ranil Wickremesinghe.
The people are under the impression that if Ranil Wickremesinghe had ruled the country today, we wouldn’t have to suffer. They say if Wickremesinghe was in power, the country wouldn’t have been plunged into such a catastrophe. The people are of the opinion that he is the leader who has the right vision and the right program to rebuild the country. The only demand of the people is to somehow bring Ranil Wickremesinghe to power and hand over the country to him immediately, he said.
Baseless allegations
Sabaragamuwa University Senior Lecturer Mahinda Pathirana condemned the baseless allegations levelled against Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa by former Ministers Wimal Weerawansa and Udaya Gammanpila.
At a press briefing at the SLPP headquarters, he said that Finance Minister Rajapaksa did not stand for American aspirations from the day the Rajapaksa Government came to power, instead he stood up for Sri Lankan aspirations.
Pathirana said, “When Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa provided the political leadership during the battle against terrorism, it was Basil Rajapaksa who provided the economic strength needed for it by starting to provide food and beverage to the Army and sending supplies to the North to alleviate the unrest caused by the battle against terrorism in the South.
“Having made such a commitment, Finance Minister Rajapaksa is still making that commitment for the benefit of Sri Lanka. It is evident that he never stood up for the aspirations of any other country but only for the aspirations of our country,” he said.
Pathirana said that it is under the leadership of Basil Rajapaksa that export earnings increased to US$ 12.5 billion last year. Former Minister Udaya Gammanpila deliberately misled the country last year.
“Gammanpila says that today the oil crisis was caused by a dollar issue. We know that there is a dollar problem in Sri Lanka and that is the immediate cause. An agreement was to be signed on October 20, 2021 to import fuel to Sri Lanka under a US$ 3.6 billion loan facility.
Gammanpila then said that a huge amount of money is being received to import fuel from Oman. However, though the Cabinet approved the agreement it was not signed. Gammanpila did this deliberately to create a crisis in the country.
“As we run out of dollars over time, so do fuel prices. Thereby we have to send more dollars abroad. Gammanpila told the media that, fuel was available only for a short time. That raised issues among the people and finally paved the way for this crisis. We should realise this is a plan to let the crisis escalate and gain political advantage from it,” he said.
Pathirana said that those who led the country to such a situation are now accusing Finance Minister Rajapaksa of being an American and an economic assassin.
Blatant lie
Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera on Thursday challenged Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa to reveal the Middle East countries which had promised to supply fuel for two years with no up-front payment to a future SJB-led Government.
Premadasa was speaking during Wednesday’s SJB-led protest against the Government near the Presidential Secretariat, Colombo. While claiming it to be a blatant lie, the Minister said Premadasa had deliberately misled the public for petty political gain.
Amaraweera said, “I saw Opposition Leader Premadasa say that when he comes to power, three countries in the Middle East had promised him free fuel for three years. I urge him to reveal which those three countries are. This is a blatant lie. No country has made such a promise. If possible, I urge him to name those three countries in public,” the Minister told a media briefing in Colombo.
The Minister said Premadasa’s claims of seizing power is a joke to say the least and added that the Opposition Leader doesn’t have an understanding of the country’s Constitution. He said, “Under the Constitution, the President holds the Executive Presidency until 2024. A President cannot be appointed at will. Even if the President leaves tomorrow, we cannot go for a Presidential Election. All that can be done then is for Parliament to appoint a President.
National consensus
UNP Leader and former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe rejected the idea of forming a national government and toppling the present government adding that what is needed today is a common consensus on a national plan to avoid Sri Lanka becoming another Greece.
Wickremesinghe told a recent UNP membership drive meeting in Colombo, “Changing the Government is not the solution. First we have to resolve the present situation. If we don’t do it and play politics, there won’t be any country left for us. First and foremost, there should be an agreement among the political parties on resolving the economic situation.
“What is needed today is a national consensus, not a national government. There should be an iron framework for the country to move forward. This is the reality considering the country’s situation today, ” he said.
He said, “People have lost expectations. The middle class has fallen while the youth wish to migrate. We cannot blame them. If no solution is found to these issues, Sri Lanka will end up like Greece.”
Vacates official quarters
Water supply Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara on Monday returned his official quarters and two vehicles to the Ministry Secretary Dr. Priyath Bandu Wickrama. Nanayakkara said he deemed it unjustified if he continued to enjoy those privileges after having decided to stay away from Ministry duties and to boycott Cabinet meetings.
Nanayakkara said he would obtain a vehicle for his use from a brother or a friend, and insisted he would continue to appear on behalf of the people. He said no decision has been taken as yet to resign from his ministerial portfolio. He is on a boycott to protest the removal of Wimal Weerawansa and Udaya Gammanpila from their ministerial portfolios.
Protest
An anti-government rally organised by the Solialist Youth Union (SYU) was held in front of the Presidential Secretariat on Friday. It was held following a protest march from the Technical Junction to Colombo Fort.
The SYU had organised this protest campaign against the present situation in the country and sale of national resources to foreign countries. During the rally, the protestors had attempted to present a letter to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa through the Secretary to the President.
However, their attempt was unsuccessful as no representative from the Presidential Secretariat met the protestors to accept it. Later, the letter was burnt in front of the participants by the SYU National Organiser Eranga Gunasekara.
He said the present Government should quit without any delay as it also has failed to properly address the grievances of the people. He invited the youth regardless of their political backgrounds to collectively develop the country. He said those who ruled this country for the past seven decades became rich while the public have suffered due to poverty.
Increase in exports
SLPP Parliamentarian Lalith Ellawala said the JVP and the SJB leaders think that they could come to power at the next election. “It is the Yahapalana Government that is responsible for the fuel and gas and other queues today. The group that ruled the country from 2015 to 2019 obtained huge loans and what did they do with the money?, he said.
At a press conference held at the SLPP headquarters on Friday, he said that the previous Government sold the Hambantota Port which could have brought in an income to the country.
Ellawala said, “Not a single new unit of electricity was added to the national grid during the tenure of President Maithripala Sirisena. Those who did all these are berating the Government today.”
He said that during the tenure of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, local production in the country increased. There is a big increase in the export of minor export crops. We have to remind the people that such a good thing has happened during the tenure of his Presidency.