No change to corruption and Govt. actions: SJB

• President a prisoner of Govt. MPs
• Corruption rampant for oil deals

By Darshana Abayasingha

SJB MP Kabir Hashim

SJB MP Eran Wickramaratne

The main Opposition Samagi Jana Bala Wegaya (SJB) yesterday charged that despite the people’s protest demanding systematic change in administration, the political system and economic reform, the only development was heaping additional burden on the public.

SJB MP Kabir Hashim told journalists that the continued rise in the cost of living, interest rate hikes and job cuts have caused immeasurable damage to civilian life, but the Government states these are sacrifices the public must make. Hashim questioned what sacrifices the Government and the leadership is making for the country? He charged that no steps have been taken to effect changes to combat corruption, reduce wastage or implement the 19th Amendment.

“The Government has not changed the way it works despite the people’s protest. They are continuing on their journey as they did before, and there is corruption taking place every quarter. There is large-scale corruption concerning the import of fuel, and this most likely involves officials across multiple state institutions including the Ministry of Finance. The President is either a prisoner of the Government’s ministers, or he is still not willing to take the right decisions,” Hashim charged.

The SJB MP added the Government is making significant profits through its fuel price formula, and asked what steps could be taken to pass on its benefits to the public. He remarked the Lanka Indian Oil Corporation is making substantial profits in comparison to its local counterpart, and queried why the Government is not considering imposing a special tax on the company to curtail the outflow of dollars.

Hashim said the SJB plans to lodge a complaint with the CID and the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption against the alleged malpractices concerning oil procurements.

Joining the briefing, SJB MP Eran Wickramaratne said: “We will ask the Petroleum Minister to give an explanation to the country as to why the Government imports Russian oil at a higher price from a third party, when there is an opportunity to import at a lower price directly from Russia.”

Wickramaratne added the Government recently appointed 38 State Ministers and the President is being pressured to appoint 12 more Ministers to the Cabinet. “Then one-third of members in Parliament are ministers. The present Government gives more priority to ensure the wellbeing of its parliamentarians rather than the needs of the people despite the difficulties faced by the country and the people,” the MP added.