An attempt to pose as champion of the poor

UNP Parliamentarian Ravi Karunanayake’s attempt to show himself as a champion of the poor is in stark contrast to the deliberate anti-poor decisions he took while he was Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister in Ranil Wickremesinghe’s Government of 2001 - 2004, says Mass Media and Information Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa in a statement issued to the media yesterday on the remarks made by Ravi Karunanayake MP following the Supreme Court determination with respect to a pricing formula for fuel.

“Mr. Karunanayake has the dubious reputation of having destroyed the CWE, the main body which countered the black market and enabled the ordinary consumer to obtain essential items at affordable prices,” the statement said.

It further said: “ He could do his cause a world of good if he was honourable enough to come out even at this late stage and apologise for his many acts of omission and commission that had a direct negative impact on the ordinary consumer whose cause he purports to champion. He may of course fool some of the people and for a while.”