Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)

“I am disappoint­ed”

Over certain actions of govt.

- BY CHATURANGA PRADEEP

Science, technology and Research Minister Susil Premajayan­tha yesterday said he was disappoint­ed with certain activities of the government and that even SLFP leaders did not accept his ideas.

I think this government had come to power with an idea of selling its properties

Addressing the media at the SLFP Head Quarters, the minister said the United National Party did not accept the ideas of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP)

He also said some have come to power with the intention of selling state resources but the SLFP would not do so.

“There was a practice of selling state properties during the previous United National Party (UNP) government­s. Since then the Sirimavo Bandaranai­ke SLFP government had taken back state institutio­ns which were under Western rule,” he said.

The Minister alleged: “The Unpers in the past while in power sold state properties and its still repeating same”. Recently, the government had sold 80% of the Hambantota Port to the Chinese firm.without selling the Port we should have a plan of proper management. For that we have the relevant people and resource persons. “What happens is that policy makers are not listening to the advise of profession­als in the country.that was the problem of drawing the government to sell its property.there should be a proper plan to provide jobs to 10 million youth as what the government promised ,” Minister Premajayan­tha said. “Every commercial enterprise has a business plan. First of all the government has to think whether they are capable of managing the State institutio­n . If the plan was not applicable, the government should implement another plan. Without thinking of any business plans, I think this government had come to power with an idea of selling its properties,” he said.

“The whole world is moving to different paths with the developmen­t of new technology. Without drawing the country according to the requiremen­t of the fast movement, there was no point of handing over or selling state organizati­ons to some other countries. That shows where we are heading to ,” he said.

Without selling the Port we should have a plan of proper management. For that we have the relevant people and resource persons

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