The Hon. Chanaka Madugoda

¶ 01 Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

¶ 02 We speak today on a Regulation under the Foreign Exchange Act. The Minister who spoke before me and the President this morning referred to the bitter experiences of gas and fuel queues. As the Opposition, we are not a party that politicises or incites panic over such issues. We continue to say there is currently no fuel crisis in Sri Lanka, and we pray none will arise.

¶ 03 However, despite the Minister’s claim, village retailers have switched off their phones because there is no gas at ground level. If the Government is unaware, be informed: fix the issue. We seek to heal society, not inflame it.

¶ 04 We also address the attack on Iran and express our strong disapproval and condemnation as the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna. We know the cruelty of war from our 30-year conflict. Iran has been a close friend, with deep cultural traditions, who supported us in war and peace—including at the Human Rights Council—and helped our development projects. We also recall the friendship between President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Iran’s leadership. The war now affects around a million Sri Lankans in the Middle East; therefore we oppose these attacks in the region.

¶ 05 Meanwhile, this Government, instead of safeguarding its mandate, is losing public confidence due to corruption and abuse of power—charges levelled even two years ago. Let me raise a specific case. We raised in Parliament on 22 January a massive fraud in the tri-forces dry rations tender. No answer has come. I invite Deputy Minister Aruna Jayasekara, who just left the Chamber, to return and respond. Did the President as Defence Minister and the Cabinet collectively become complicit?

¶ 06 Further, we hear reports that Parliamentary Police officers who rendered exemplary service may be discharged. Please intervene to value their service.

¶ 07 In Galle District, in Cooperative Hospital elections, the JVP/NPP “Maalimawa” lists were defeated across the board. We now learn the Southern Province Governor intends to appoint his associates in place of the duly elected members. As a party that believes in elections, do not subvert democratically won results.

¶ 08 We urge the Government to provide solutions to the people’s pressing problems, not merely accuse the Opposition. Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker.