Kanchana’s warning to restrict fuel supplies irrelevant, all imports already disrupted-SJB

‘Pohottuwa party can’t take cover behind new Prez’

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Top Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) spokesperson Mujibur Rahuman MP yesterday (26) said that the Cabinet-of-Ministers owed an explanation regarding Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera’s latest declaration that fuel imports would be restricted in the next 12 months.

Minister Wijesekera has asserted that restrictions on fuel imports would be inevitable due to unavailability of forex.

 Colombo District lawmaker Rahuman pointed out that the ministerial warning was irrelevant as fuel supplies had been disrupted and regular power cuts introduced several months ago.

Further restrictions on fuel imports meant the national economy would rapidly shrink further and the so called new government lacked a strategy to meet the basic requirements, the MP said.

 Newly appointed President Ranil Wickremesinghe re-appointed Wijesekera as the Power and Energy Minister.

 Former UNP MP Rahuman urged the SLPP government to come out clean on the economic situation without further delay. Pointing out that as many as 4 mn vehicles had been registered so far, the MP asked whether the government was genuine in implementing the much touted fuel distribution scheme under “QR’ code.

 Responding to The Island queries, lawmaker Rahuman warned that the deteriorating economic crisis couldn’t be addressed by suppressing dissent. Referring to recent media reports that coal stocks had been rapidly dwindling, MP Rahuman said that essential supplies, including LP gas were yet to be nomalized. “Are we heading for power cuts longer than current daily three hour interruption?” the MP asked.

 Minister Wijesekera’s warning that fuel supplies could be further restricted reflected the actual situation regardless of silly efforts to deceive the public.

 The SLPP couldn’t take refuge behind UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe recently elected President under controversial circumstances, lawmaker Rahuman said. The SJB official asked whether President Wickremesinghe consulted the SLPP hierarchy before he ordered large scale military-led crackdown on Galle Face protesters.

 In the absence of Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the military and law enforcement apparatus carried out a coordinated attack on protesters on the day President Wickremesinghe swore in new ministers, MP Rahuman said. The Opposition MP said that those who attacked protesters at the behest of President Wickremesinghe would be held responsible.

 Lawmaker Rahuman alleged that the SLPP was engaged in a desperate bid to hang onto power at any cost. The ruling coalition beset by internal strife wanted President Wickremesinghe to save them from current turmoil, MP Rahuman said.

 The SJB official said that in spite of offering to form an all-party-government to address the issues at hand, President Wickremesinghe and the SLPP were obviously not serious about such an arrangement. If the government was genuine, the military wouldn’t have been unleashed on the protesters, he said. “Perhaps, the attack was meant to jeopardize proposed efforts for an all-party government. The new President and the SLPP seem to be contemplating to proceed irrespective of calls to call for early general election, the MP said.

In terms of the 20th Amendment to the Constitution, the President can dissolve Parliament.

Lawmaker Rahuman said that the SJB believed though Gotabaya Rajapaksa was not in the scene the SLPP’s agenda remained the same.

Lawmaker Rahuman said that dozens of deaths at fuel queues in various parts of the country were a grim reminder of the SLPP’s failure. No less a person than the Governor of the Central Bank Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe has told parliamentary watchdog committees, COPE (Committee on Public Enterprises) and COPF (Committee on Public Finance) how the previous administration mismanaged the national economy. The then Finance Minister Ali Sabry, PC, and Monetary Board members, Prasanna Jayawardena, PC and Dr. Ranee Jayamaha have confirmed what Dr. Weerasinghe has said, the SJB official. It would be the responsibility of the Wickremesinghe administration to act on the disclosure made by those above-mentioned persons, he said.