‘No privatizing of nerve centres’

Nadira Gunatilleke

The UPFA Government has no intention to privatize economy’s nerve centres, Environment Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said. The economic policies of the UNP and the UPFA is entirely different. The UNP totally gave into the private sector and destroyed the public sector enterprises but the UPFA is strengthening the public sector enterprises while sharing it with the private sector. The UNP destroyed Sathosa and weakened the Paddy Marketing Board, the Minister said.

Addressing the weekly SLFP press briefing at the SLFP Headquarters in Colombo yesterday Minister Yapa said like in 1971 and 1988, the JVP and the UNP try to sling mud, fabricate stories and mislead the public. The public never took part in their protests.

What they are trying to do is to create a wrong picture in the minds of the people just as they tried many times in the past. The Opposition does not talk about the cost of living. They are waiting till the price of a commodity goes up.

The Minister said the Government’s main objective is to uplift living standard of the people while making Sri Lanka the ‘Wonder of Asia.’ Sri Lanka is one of the few countries in the world which offer free university education. The country does not violate human rights and there is no labour rule problem in Sri Lanka. The Government has signed all labour conventions.

The Deputy Opposition Leader knows well about it and he speaks on behalf of some foreign elements. The UNP is now a bankrupt political party with no roots and delivers EU’s preaching in Sinhala.

Minister Yapa said Sri Lanka can be the only country in Asia that does not have internal conflicts and have a stable Government with open opportunities to achieve economic development.

A three-member delegation will visit India soon and an envoy from India will arrive here. India has granted US $ 1.25 million aid to Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka and India maintain a cordial relationship, the Minister said.