"We are doing our best" was their refrain

These days, Government ministers and their spin doctors are busy focusing on the so- called All- Party Conference ( APC). They have been inviting all political parties to work collectively to resolve the country's unprecedented economic crisis, while downplaying the role of Parliament-the elected body of peoples' representatives.

Unlike Parliament, to which the President and the Cabinet are held constitutionally responsible, the APC is not a formal body but merely a forum where political leaders can present their thoughts. Meanwhile, this week, parliamentary sessions saw little interest from Government MPs as well, with poor attendance.

As part of focusing on the APC, Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and Regional Cooperation State Minister Tharaka Balasuriya organised a media briefing on Thursday for selected English media outlets, to talk about the highlights of the APC. They repeatedly assured the media that the Government was taking all possible steps to resolve the current economic crisis while claiming, "we know people are suffering but we are doing our best."