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By Dharisha Bastians
Issuing a clarion call against what it called the Government’s ‘economic thuggery’ and ‘power shocks’ for the New Year, the Joint Opposition yesterday urged political parties, media personnel and ordinary people to unite in a fight to defeat a ruling party it said had no business being in power.
In a blazing critique of the electricity tariff hikes commencing retroactively from 12 April, Vipakshaye Virodhaya representatives told a news conference in Colombo that the ruling regime was making ordinary Sri Lankans pay the price for its bad energy policies and the massive losses incurred by the Ceylon Electricity Board exacerbated by State sector extravagance and wastage.
UNP Communications Director and Parlia-mentarian Mangala Samaraweera told journalists that the Government was perpetrating ‘economic thuggery’ on the citizens. He said CEB losses had increased by 217% in a single year, from Rs. 19.3 billion in 2011 to Rs. 61.2 billion in 2012.
“CEB losses now amount to 1% of this country’s GDP,” the UNP MP said. “The common people are not responsible for this sorry situation with the CEB. If the people don’t pay their bills, their electricity supply is suspended immediately. Who pays the bills for the Colombo night races? How much did it cost to light up Colombo Fort for one night of those races in December last year?” Samaraweera charged.
He said it was ironic that the poor man would have to pay exponentially higher electricity bills starting this month, while massive ministerial residences with search-lights and other energy draining equipment paid a subsidised rate of Rs. 2,000 for electricity, irrespective of usage. “The Government has given the people a power shock as a New Year gift,” he charged.
Seeking the recommendations of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) on the tariff hike had been an eyewash the UNP MP claimed, saying the Ministry of Finance had already decided on the new pricing formula when the matter was referred to the Commission.
“The new Power and Energy Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi has reneged on the promise she made when she took office in January, that she would not permit the increase of electricity prices,” Samaraweera charged. “We cannot allow the Rajapaksa Government to run this country any longer.”
Mawbima People’s Party Leader and former Government Minister Hemakumara Nanayakkara called on the UPFA constituent parties to leave their ministerial perks and quit the Government if they truly represented the people who voted them into office.
“I say to those parties of the Left, if you have any pride remaining, to Rauff Hakeem and his SLMC if they believe in the words of the Holy Koran, and to Thondaman and his CWC if they truly represent the working class, to leave this Government and join the people’s fight against this Government – have the backbone to do this,” he said.
Nanayakkara said he had quit the perks of Government and set up his own party because it was not possible to be part of a regime that victimised the people. “This is the only government in the world that has sought the views of the public and increased electricity prices,” Nanayakkara said.
Making a reference to the recent twin attacks on the Uthayan newspaper in Jaffna, Nanayakkara said the newspaper was repeatedly attacked because it had refused to bend to the will of the ruling regime. “Sirasa, which has also been attacked twice before, is now being warned of another attack against them in the near future,” he said, calling on the media to join the Opposition’s fight against the Government.
“Use your pens to save this country, don’t be stakeholders in this great national tragedy that is about to befall us,” Nanayakkara appealed.
Nanayakkara said the Vipakshaye Virodhaya will commence a massive campaign against the Government with its May Day Rally in Kurunegala.
“The situation in this country has reached a stage where we have only two choices before us as citizens – either we commit collective suicide or we band together to fight this regime. Enough talking, the time has come to get out on the streets,” he said.
Meanwhile, Muslim Tamil National Alliance Leader Azath Sally who also addressed the press briefing said that the Government needed a problem between communities to keep its grip on power. “What started out as a witch hunt against the Tamils has now been turned against the Muslims,” he said.
