Save low income families from the devil ‘Micro Credit’
Dudley Sirisena makes an appeal to President
Well known businessman Dudley Sirisena made an appeal yesterday to his brother President Maithripala Sirisena to take immediate action to save the low and middle income families from what he called the devil ‘Micro Credit’ as thousands of families and lives mainly in the rural sector have been destroyed to this evil system.
Not the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition must also direct their attention to this disaster coming to the rural sector as a financial assistance but end up as a disaster to the entire family
Mr. Sirisena vowed that he would launch a civil disobedience campaign after March 1st to chase away all micro finance companies from the rural sector to put an end to harassment on unsuspecting families who have fallen prey to sweet words of micro finance companies and obtained loans and added he would take the lead of the fight against micro finance companies starting from Polonnaruwa.
The government must erase huge credits defaulted by those who have obtained loans from micro finance companies and reschedule the repayment with an affordable interest rate like 25%, he stressed.
He said the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition must also direct their attention to this disaster coming to the rural sector as a financial assistance but end up as a disaster to the entire family. Mr. Anura Kumara Dissanayaka, the leader of the JVP must also take note of this disaster and do something.
He told the media at the ‘JAIC Hilton Recidencies’ that the enormous, extremely unfair and exorbitant interest rates charged by so-called micro credit companies have led some women pay the interest by indulging into giving sexual favours to credit collectors who visit their houses and many others committing suicide.
“I appeal to my brother, President Sirisena to put an end to this unbearable burden on rural families on the same manner you fight drug and narcotics. It is also the responsibility of the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader to save the people from this disaster,” Mr. Sirisena said.
When Mr. Sirisena opened the floor after his opening remarks, there was a barrage of questions from the media.
DAILY MIRROR:
It is great that you have come to rescue rural folks from the evils of micro credit. But do you have any other objectives in this endeavour?
MR. SIRISENA:
Not at all. I have no intention to enter politics.
DAILY MIRROR:
President Maithripala Sirisena, the leader of the SLFP is your brother and Opposition leader Mahinda Rajapaksa and other SLPP leaders are your close friends. Why don’t you think you are one of the best to talk to both side and unite the two factions to ensure victory in forthcoming polls?
MR. SIRISENA:
Yes, I agree. I can talk to my brother President Sirisena and Mahinda, Gota and Basil as they are my friends. But let them do politics and I do my business. I don’t want to get involved in politics.
DAILY MIRROR:
Do you think you have any opportunity in politics?
MR. SIRISENA:
Why not? I have the ability and recognition to contest in any district out of all 25 districts and win. But, I don’t want to do it because I have earned enough and I am fully contended with what I have. I have obtained loans worth Rs. 10 billion and pay my interest on time without any delay. My credit repayment is about Rs. 38.64 per second.
DAILY MIRROR:
Did you support your brother in 2015?
MR. SIRISENA:
Yes indeed. I also made a big contribution to make him President and we cannot forget the fact that It was because of the UNP’S support he won.
ANOTHER JOURNALIST:
Did you vote for him?
What are you asking? If I did not vote for him, I should have been killed.
A JOURNALIST:
Does your name have any connection with the UNP?
MR. SIRISENA:
No. But we have UNP roots. When my father settled in Polonnaruwa after receiving lands from the government he had a great respect on late Prime Minister D.S. Senanayaka. I am Vijayananda Sirisena that recollects names of two leaders, a late Prime Minister and a President. I am called Dudley at home and among friends.