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Parliament takes up NCM questioning fuel price hike

20 Jul 2021

  • Marikkar asks what happened to stabilisation fund
By Imsha Iqbal A no-confidence motion (NCM) against Minister of Energy Udaya Gammanpila was presented at Parliament yesterday (19) by the Opposition. Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) parliamentarian S.M. Marikkar read the no-confidence motion in Parliament following the request of Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena for the debate. The statement read that the price hike on petroleum products was a violation of the Constitution, also alleging that Gammanpila was evading from the basic duties of a minister and breaking the pledge. Marikkar further read that the no-confidence motion against Gammanpila has been brought to Parliament because from January 2020 onwards, which is a period of one-and-a-half years, the price of petroleum was not reduced at a moment even when the prices in the world market were lower. Moreover, it was said that Minister Gammanpila has broken the promise of reducing the price of food in the face of reduced price of petroleum in the world market. Markkar inquired through his reading on the status of the Fuel Cash Stabilisation Fund that was brought into effect with the situation with the world market price reduction and said that Gammapila has failed in disclosing the said matters to the people of the country. Marikkar also said the earned profit could have been used in order to pay off the debt of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) to the domestic banks. Thus, the failure in these matters had subsequently led to the price increase in all consumer goods, coupled with the increase of production cost and the inflation further impacting the people in the country amidst the Covid pandemic, pointed out. Accordingly, constitutional matters have been violated, both directly and indirectly, and there is no trust in Minister Gammanpila remaining at the given ministerial portfolio, the Opposition parliamentarian stated. However, following a discussion that took place prior to the parliamentary session last Sunday (18) by the ruling party group, headed by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena, State Minister Piyal Nishantha De Silva, and MP Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera stated that the Government anticipates taking steps in order to defeat the no-confidence motion against the Minister of Energy at Parliament.


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