Mr Wimal Weerawansa, the Minister of Constructions, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities, says that, people have come out to the streets in Negombo recently,induced by a certain N.G.O, and it was indicated by a plank of slogan held by them, saying that, ‘No Subsidies.Bring down the oil prices’.
” This was not a slogan of the demonstrators. If injustice have been done to the people by the oil price hike,the first thing they should do is to request the government to provide them with sufficient relief for their sufferings.Is spite of that, they were demanding the government to reduce the oil prices, for the necessity of that N.G.O”, he said.
Minister Wimal Weerawansa has expressed these views, while participating as a chief guest in a ceremony to provide the fuel subsidies for the low income citizens of the Kaduwela Provincial Secretariat Division which was held at Provincial Secretariat at Malabe. 150 Selected families were provided with this fuel subsidy , during this occasion.Under this project,one family has received a fuel coupon worth Rs200/-per month.The Samurdhi Commissioner Generals office has taken steps to provide this fuel subsidy on the instructions from the Economic Development Ministry.
Further Expressing his views, Minister Wimal Weerawansa said;
“These N.G.O’s are intending to induce the people of this country, for violent demonstrations, to create a black picture on Sri Lanka through the international Media, to submit the war crimes allegations against Sri Lanka to the Human Rights Commission in Geneva,similar to the Middle East and Central African countries, such as Libya, Tunisia, Syria, and Yemen. An Innocent life was perished untimely, due to this”
“Few days ago, fuel prices were increased due to certain unavoidable reasons. This was not done during a season where the oil prices were decreasing in the other countries.The oil prices have gone up in all countries due to the activities of the Western countries including U.S,A. against Iran. According to an agreement reached between our President and the President of Iran, we have purchased oil from Iran on a relief period of six or seven months.It was a huge concession for us.But with the sanctions imposed on Iran, we have lost that deal.It caused a huge set back for us.Even though India have agreed to deal with gold with Iran instead of Dollars, we do not have a sufficient gold reserve to do the same.This has caused a severe oil crisis in Sri Lanka. Poor people may think that, even the oil prices are increased, why the government has increased our bottle of Kerosene oil.The person who rides a motorcycle is worried about the petrol price, while, the four wheel vehicle owner worries about the diesel price.It is the reason that the government has decided to provide a fuel subsidy for the persons who have suffered most and the people who really need that.This is the reason that the government is providing the fuel subsidies for the Fishing Boats, School Vans Three Wheelers, and to the families who receive the Samurdhi Grant, who have no electricity. This subsidy is not received by this families through demonstrations or remonstrations. The government will not forget the innocent common citizens. That is why this is a people’s government. Without the knowledge of the people of this country, during the days when the Kerosene prices were low, a racket was activated to sell our Kerosene oil in India, through Kytes and Delph Islands, by boats, since the oil prices in India was higher than in Sri Lanka. Considering that fact, Sri Lanka is a country who has sold Kerosene oil to India” the Minister said.
