At this rate any buffalo can steer the Govt: GL

The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) said yesterday that at this rate any buffalo can steer the government when considering what is happening today.

Party Chairman G.L. Peiris said Minister Lakshman Kiriella had once said that any buffalo can fight the war.

“However, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa defeated the ruthless LTTE and showed the world what no one else could do. Today, we say that any buffalo can steer the government in this manner. No action is being taken by the government to revive the economy and the cost of living is sky-rocketing,” he said.

Prof. Peiris criticized the decision taken to increase the price of a cylinder of LG gas and said there was no justifiable reason to do this on the basis that gas prices in the international market had dropped drastically.

He said depreciation of the rupee would have adverse effects on the economy as the value of the rupee had declined by 21% in the last three years. “The value of the rupee against the US dollar is on the verge of exceeding Rs.160. People find it difficult to exist and to meet their daily expenses, but the government continues to impose taxes. Sri Lanka’s national debt is increasing at the rate of Rs.3,000 a day. However, there seems to be no mechanism to address these issues,” Prof. Peiris said.

Meanwhile, he said the Cabinet reshuffles only benefited the ministers and not the people and that the only option available to resolve these issues was to dissolve Parliament and hold a general election.