Opposition boycott of PM meeting displays lack of genuine support to Govt.: SLPP

• SLPP says meeting could have been utilised to express Opposition views, seek clarification on any concerns 
• Opines Opposition parties declining to attend only shows intention to criticise Govt. and not work to counter virus 

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) yesterday charged that if the main Opposition parties including the United National Party (UNP), the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) were genuinely concerned about containing COVID-19 and supporting the Government, they would have joined yesterday’s meeting presided over by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Prime Minister Rajapaksa invited a range of former parliamentarians for a meeting at Temple Trees yesterday to discuss ways to contain COVID-19 and bring the country back to normalcy. However UNP, SJB and JVP declined the invitation and did not join.

Speaking to media following the meeting, former MP and SLPP senior member Rohitha Abeygunawardena said the Prime Minister’s meeting was the best chance to express views and the Opposition could have utilised the opportunity as a fruitful discussion. 

The meeting was called on with the intention of sharing the Government’s COVID-19 mitigation efforts and experiences with all former MPs, he added.

“The reason to call such a meeting was to give an opportunity to all former MPs to express their views and ask questions. Experts of health, military and other sectors that are engaged in eradicating COVID-19 were present at the meeting. Therefore the Opposition could have used the opportunity well,” he said.

Abeygunawardena charged the decision of Opposition political parties to not join the meeting showed they did not genuinely want to eradicate COVID-19. According to Abeygunawardena, the Opposition political parties proved they were attempting to gain political mileage from the pandemic.

“The Opposition was sabotaging the Government’s efforts from the beginning. They made several false accusations against the Government including about the President’s COVID-19 fund. If they came they could have directly asked about all those things but all they want is to tarnish the Government’s reputation,” he charged.

He noted the Government had taken measures to provide relief to those affected due to the pandemic and a cash allowance was given to those who lost income due to curfew. He also said the allowance was given to all who applied.