A factor beyond our control - Govt
Colombo: The Government as a people friendly administration
was deeply sensitive to the difficulties encountered by the people on
account of the rising prices of goods and transport costs resulting from
increasing prices of fuel in the international market, Media Information
Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said yesterday.
Increasing fuel prices in the international market was a factor
beyond our control and prices of goods were increasing in Sri Lanka
despite every effort made by the Government to contain them, he said.
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Anura
Priyadarshana Yapa |
However it was most disgusting to see the main Opposition UNP
deriving sadistic pleasure over the difficulties faced by the people by
making an issue over the rising prices of fuel and other goods
pretending as if it did not see the reality.
Minister Yapa said Ratnapura district UNP Parliamentarian Thalatha
Atukorale as a media conference on Monday claimed that fuel prices were
increasing in the country due to the lack of proper economic management.
She had also claimed the Government was increasing prices without any
public sympathy.
Minister Yapa said he wished to remind the Parliamentarian that oil
had still not sprung from Sri Lankan soil the way tea, coconut and
rubber came out of estates and factories.
"That was why we too have encountered problems faced by the other
petroleum importing countries in the region such as India and
Bangladesh. Inspite of such problems, the Government had not pruned
other subsidies and welfare measures offered to the people." He wished
to ask Athukorale whether it was due to its sympathy towards the people
that the UNP which came to power in 2002 on a mandate to rebuild the
country within 100 days increased the price of rice from Rs 25 to Rs 50
per kilo and coconut from Rs 25 to Rs 50 within its very first 100 days.
Current power and food crisis and global warming were unprecedented
challenges threatening the very existence of mankind. In this situation
we ought to act with wisdom as a united nation without trying to fish in
troubled waters," Minister Yapa said.
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