• Points finger at Opposition/NGOs over strikes

• Says Basil doing utmost for economy

BY Dinitha Rathnayake

The Opposition is engaged in a conspiracy to create a wave of strikes against the present Government and to thereby cause displeasure about the Government among the people, and this move has received the support of certain anti-Government non-governmental organisations (NGOs), Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga alleged.

He further added: “The Government has become a headache for them. Therefore, they want to overthrow this Government, hook or by crook. But we will not allow it. As a strong Government, we will take all necessary steps to fulfil all the promises made to the people. We must understand that the increase in fuel prices was due to unavoidable reasons. We are still of the view that it would be better if the fuel prices were not increased.”

He made these comments at a discussion with members of the Minuwangoda Pradeshiya Sabha in Udugampola yesterday (22). “The challenge facing the country today is to rebuild the economy that was hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. Therefore, all possible measures have been taken. In particular, present Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa is taking action. We expect the country’s tourism industry to recover before the end of this year. Necessary steps have already been taken to attract tourists to the island.”

According to the Minister, the country can no longer be shut down due to Covid-19. “We must work with the pandemic. We have not stopped the development of the country even under these circumstances. We have not curtailed trade union rights. There is nothing but a political motive behind these actions taken by some trade unions. This is well confirmed by the actions of some of them.”

Ranatunga also stated that the defeat of the no-confidence motion against Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila has confirmed that there are no differences of opinion within the Government. He pointed out that the no-confidence motion had only reaffirmed the stability and strength of the Government.

“The Opposition tried to create divisions within the Government by bringing a no-confidence motion against Gammanpila. That is why the Opposition tabled the no-confidence motion based on a statement made by Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna General Secretary and Parliamentarian Sagara Kariyawasam regarding the increase in fuel prices. They said that they were showing the nudity of the Government. But this no-confidence motion exposed the nudity of the Opposition. At least there is a bankrupt Opposition in the country that does not even know the parliamentary traditions.”