Sri Lanka is steadily moving fast towards a severe shortage in medicines, oil and food items. The much needed Diesel has at the time of writing this article runout at most sheds. A vehicle transporter told LNW his trucks had got stuck at the shed . The Government is running round our regional neighborhood to work out a bail out package on an urgent basis to get oil and essentials . The President says he is doing a good job and that the opposition is spreading false stories. He should visit under cover and see for himself. Any Rajapakse at a Petrol station will get jeered and more . The government’s responsibility to provide at least the essentials to a near minimum is a basic responsibility . That is why they were elected. Today’s Daily Mirror says there will be 10 Hour power cuts. How do you expect children to study? Food inflation is over 25% .This government was elected not to party at the tax payers expense. See the vehicles they travel in ?
For a start stop the backup vehicles. Sri Lanka needs focused measures to tide over this unprecedented economic crisis. This is a crisis largely created by the government’s economic team led by P.B. Jayasundara, SR Attygalle and Prof Lakshman. Two have abandoned the ship. The biggest culprit was Jayasundara and his cronies. The must go to the petrol sheds and see for themselves, the level the country has fallen to. Central Bank Ex Deputy Governor Dr Wijewardana has repeatedly said “ the government made serious policy errors when it announced an unsolicited, attractive tax concession to income taxpayers, the estimated revenue loss was around Rs. 650 billion, The consequence of this extraordinary money growth led to the depletion of foreign reserves putting pressure on the rupee to depreciate in the market.” . The funding of Sri Lankan Airlines was also a huge mistake, given our limited forex reserves.
Who authorized the release of the $ 500 million ? Was it PB Jayasundara or the President ? The Sri Lankan Board must must now repay that money back to the treasury to order the oil. It seems they are in it for the status, deals and perks. Why should the common man pay for the poor judgement of people like Jayasundara? The Ukrainian – Russian Conflict has further aggravated our financial plight by pushing the oil prices to $105 a barrel. Where are all those Viathmage professional who sang hosanna about the SLPPs win and took important positions? Some have abandoned the government, others still around are saying Sri Lankans should be pragmatic about the crisis. Sure, we are lucky to live in a country like Sri Lanka, but not with poor political leadership like this? That is why young people are running away, ironically many in the government are not spending hours at the gas stations to fill up their gas tanks nor of short of food or gas? That is the irony of capitalism!
Most of them are only interested in the contracts to increase their wealth. They are all fully responsible for Sri Lanka’s sorry state of affairs. The supermarkets that are inaccessible to the 60% of the daily wage earners will be shocked to see the shelves in the Supermarkets or the luxurious stores in the city . How did they open LCs to import those items? When there is a drop of nearly 60% in Middle East remittances? Who is responsible? Those responsible for the gross mismanagement of the economy must be held accountable at a future date for this reckless mismanagement of public assets and resources. Shame on them for letting down the public. If found guilty they should lose their civic rights or assets. It is totally unfair to put ordinary people through such untold misery, whist they swank around in their Range Rovers and party at Colombo Hotels .
Adolf
