The Hon. Gayantha Karunathilleka

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Chairperson of Committees, it is now one year since the current President assumed office and almost a year since the parliamentary election. I am pleased to add a few views to this adjournment debate brought by the Opposition to remind the Government of the attractive promises made to the people that remain unfulfilled.

¶ 02 Hon. Deputy Chairperson, a year has passed since the largest mandate in Sri Lanka’s history for a single political movement. To obtain that mandate, the National People’s Power (NPP) promised a host of things. In the last presidential election they campaigned with “Give the country to Anura,” and in the general election they proposed cleaning up Diyawanna, replacing “weed saplings” with flowers. Ultimately, the people, believing the country would be beautified, gave them unprecedented power. But a year on, among the flower saplings, the weeds are emerging.

¶ 03 Like the saying “the demon eats whatever is offered,” what happened with the very first post they filled? The first appointment was the Speaker. Questions were raised about his educational qualifications; finally both the certificate and the post were lost, and yet we see him here in this House.

¶ 04 They promised to remove unfair taxes on fuel—saying Rs. 50 per litre was going into the Minister’s pocket and pledging to sell petrol at Rs. 150 per litre. A year on, nowhere in Sri Lanka can you buy petrol at Rs. 150. From the election stage the President said electricity bills would be cut by 30 percent, even showing how a Rs. 9,000 bill would be reduced to Rs. 6,000. Now, the Public Utilities Commission has been asked to approve around a 6 percent increase.

¶ 05 They promised in the first Budget to reduce VAT on 6,905 items; to remove VAT entirely on school supplies; to set VAT on agricultural equipment to zero. Children and farmers, indeed the “five great forces,” were deceived.

¶ 06 They said, “If rice is to be imported, what is the need for a government? Even a Pettah trader can do that,” and pledged that not a single grain would be imported. Yet this year we saw tons of rice imported.

¶ 07 They showed posters guaranteeing Rs. 150 per kilo for paddy. In the end, farmers could not sell at a fair price; we heard their cries as some had to sell paddy even to feed cattle. Fertilizer subsidies were not provided on time. VAT on agricultural tools was not reduced.

¶ 08 On teachers and principals: they came to power pledging rapid elimination of salary anomalies, and to bring teachers into the top ten highest-paid professions. Teachers say that two out of three promised portions of the salary increase have still not been paid.

¶ 09 When questioned in this House about the wildlife census of monkeys to prevent crop damage, even the Minister admitted 50 percent failure. Money was wasted; neither the monkey numbers were reliably counted nor crop damage prevented.

¶ 10 Hon. Deputy Chairperson, in addition to my time, I am using two minutes from our colleague Hon. Jeevan Thondaman.

¶ 11 This government launched projects like the “Clean Sri Lanka” initiative similarly—started and then disappeared. “No dance, no drumbeat”—that is what we saw most of this year.

¶ 12 Even retirees were misled. They were promised a 5 percent above normal bank interest rate for senior citizens’ fixed deposits, but received only about 3 percent, and then a 10 percent tax was levied on their interest income. In the mountain of lies told to gain power, this government could set Guinness and even win a Nobel for falsehoods.

¶ 13 Further, there are now serious discussions on the assets of ministers. The reality differs from the image shown to the people. We have the responsibility to say what was not done: they promised a primary school every 4–5 km so village children could study locally; instead, schools are being closed, with circulars ready to shut many. Rather than schools within 4–5 km, they talk about building a certain number of toilets within 4–5 km. The Cabinet decided to make “A Prosperous Country – A Beautiful Life” the national development plan, but after a year, how many promises are fulfilled? Even “Thriposha” distribution has stalled and maize is being imported.

¶ 14 I listened all day; ministers keep talking about a “76-year curse,” while sitting in a Parliament built in that period. They forget what the Senanayakes did—settlement schemes, major reservoirs, industries, Asia’s first oil refinery in 1969, and building massive reservoirs like Victoria, Randenigala, Rantembe, Kotmale, Ulhitiya, Rathkinda, Maduru Oya, and more.

¶ 15 Time is over; I thank Hon. Jeevan Thondaman for additional time and you, Hon. Deputy Chairperson, for the time given.