News
‘Hunger needs to be overcome before highways and high life’
The global economic crisis has affected all countries, but small economies like Sri Lanka are the worst hit. A recent nutritional study in Sri Lanka shows that the level of malnutrition has gone up to 18%, while the poverty level has reached 60%.
While the rural and plantation sectors are worst affected, the urban sector has also been hit. On International Women’s Day, it was sad to see continuing discrimination and the sad plight of women in our country, a cause for concern.
Besides the many women who bear the burden of doing a job while running the home and caring for the family, the war widows and elderly are suffering in silence with no support from society. The economic downturn has been aggravated by the Covid 19 pandemic. The media makes little or no mention of this grave situation, and the Government carries on as usual, with more attention to highways and high life, and only little attention to the problems of hunger and poverty.
The Lanka Sama Samaja Party, that was formed in 1935, is having its Conference on March 20 and 21, and is giving priority to this issue. Developed countries like the USA and UK have daily soup kitchens organized by social welfare organizations. We lack these, and the government must intervene in a more organized manner. The occasional basket of dry rations helps, but a more systematic and organized campaign is required to ensure that no one goes to bed at night hungry.
The Cooperative Movement that was strong and well established in the 1970s should be restored, ensuring that everyone gets. food and essentials, and exploitation by middlemen is minimized. Till then every Grama Sevaka must visit each house and make a list of those in need. Adequate dry rations must reach them. Cooked meals should be supplied to the old and disabled. Religious and other welfare organizations must be mobilized.
The economic downturn is continuing and though the Covid-19 vaccine is being given to high risk groups, it will take some time to reach the over 70-80% coverage required to control transmission in the community. Under these conditions the economic situation will be bad. There is also a financial downturn, as well as a foreign debt crisis.
The country and the people will have to tighten belts and reduce spending. The Government should act with restraint, minimizing expenditure. Ensuring that everybody is fed is the first priority. Highways and other development activities can wait. The better off must take as much of the burden as possible. This means that the level of direct personal tax, which is as low as 14% should be raised to over 45% and the company tax from 18% to at least 50%.
Our foreign debt should be reduced. The government should tighten its restriction on unnecessary imports and construction activities and take the country into its confidence, explain the situation, and give the lead by an austerity budget. The burden must not be put on to the poor through indirect tax increases, but on those who can afford.
Those who have lost jobs should be compensated through local development activities, specially by stimulating the agricultural sector and local value added industry. Some persons will have to undergo skills training. In the meantime some type of dole or financial support by the state will be necessary. Local industry too needs to be supported. The government decision to achieve self-sufficiency is good and achievable.
The LSSP has been advocating adoption of the new solidarity concept. This is gaining ground in Europe and Latin America, and has proved a success. State ventures are run on cooperative lines with ownership being vested in the employees. The latter, in addition to their wages, also get an equal share in the profits of the enterprise. The outcome has been a large increase in the income of both the employees and the enterprise, increased efficiency and curbing of stealing and corruption.
While improving on the devolution of power to the provinces, the development of the province must be an integral part of the total national plan to develop the country as a whole. The allocation of funds should be done accordingly. This will ensure planned development of all parts of the country as one unit. Sri Lanka will become one strong united nation.
Prof. Tissa Vitarana
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that the training of teachers required for the new education reforms will commence in May, and that contracts granted to political cronies in local government institutions will be brought to an end following the upcoming local government elections.
The Prime Minister made these remarks while addressing public gatherings held in the areas of Mirigama, Minuwangoda, and Katana in the Gampaha District.
Addressing the gatherings, Prime Minister stated:
“From birth to death, all the aspects of life of a person are handled by local government institutions. However, to this day, these institutions lack proper systems even to provide the people with basic facilities.
We are committed to working with a proper system, free of fraud and corruption, and managing every rupee carefully and attentively. We are identifying the needs of people and implementing projects under a systematic plan to develop rural sectors.
You elect fellow members who stand firmly against fraud and corruption through two decisive elections. First, you elect Anura Kumara as President, a leader committed to fighting corruption. Then, in the parliamentary election, you choose a group of qualified individuals who are equally dedicated to this cause to represent you in Parliament.
To ensure that the funds allocated for rural development reach the people, the local government institutions which are the closest to the villagers must also be clean and transparent. That is why this election is so important to us.
The people and the villages come to experience our corruption-free political culture through local government institutions. These institutions must properly implement, monitor, and evaluate the development projects allocated to the rural sector. The era of awarding contracts for such projects to political cronies must end.
Although early childhood development is a crucial part of education, there has never been a proper system for it. We are now establishing such a system. Starting in May, teacher training for the modern education which is being introduced will begin. We have a comprehensive plan for development across all sectors.
The Ministry of Education has received billions worth of projects, but there is no proper implementation process. For example, 1,500 smart boards were brought for smart classrooms, but the Secretary to the Ministry has not implemented a system to distribute them to schools. Teachers have not been trained to use them. Teacher training institutes still follow outdated curriculum. This will be corrected through the new education reforms,
In order to deliver all these benefits to the rural sector efficiently, it is essential to elect the right people for the right purposes. Therefore, in the upcoming local government elections, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya urged the public to vote for the candidates who are free from fraud and corruption presented by the National People’s Power (NPP).”
The event was attended by Parliament Chief Organizer of the ruling party Dharmapriya Wijesinghe, Members of Parliament Ruwanthilaka Jayakody and Chaminda Lalith Kumara, along with several local government candidates and the residents of the area.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath will represent Sri Lanka at the funeral of Pope Francis in the Vatican City, the Ministry said.
The funeral is scheduled for today.
About 50,000 people came to pay their respects to the late Pope on Thursday, the Vatican news service said.
“Pope Francis’ funeral Mass will take place on Saturday, April 26, at 10:00 AM in St. Peter’s Square, marking the beginning of the Novemdiales, an ancient tradition of nine days of mourning and Masses for the repose of the late Pope’s soul,” according to the Vatican news service.
“The Novemdiales Masses will be held each day at 5:00 PM (GMT +2) in St. Peter’s Basilica, except for the Mass on Divine Mercy on Sunday, April 27, which will take place at 10:30 AM in St. Peter’s Square.”
An underworld hitman who attempted to break into a house in the Andiambalama area of Katunayake to kill a businessman was arrested in Rajanganaya by the police and the Special Task Force (STF) on Thursday night after the attempt failed and he escaped by jumping over a wall.
Investigations have revealed that this individual is connected to a number of murders, including the recent killing of a businessman known as “Indikatu Jude” in the Seeduwa area a few weeks ago, as well as several other criminal activities.
Police said that the suspect was responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a man sleeping in a three-wheeler in the Gampaha area and attempting to assassinate another person at the Negombo market.
The suspect arrived in Andiambalama with another underworld assassin to murder a businessman engaged in money lending from his residence.
At the time of the incident, the businessman attempted to close his electric gate. The contract killer and his accomplice tried to shoot the businessman, but their weapon malfunctioned and did not fire. A struggle ensued between the businessman and the two assailants, after which the assailants tried to escape by jumping over the wall of the house as the would-be victim ran into the house.
During the escape, one of the suspects fell from the wall and fractured a bone in his leg. Local residents captured him after assaulting him and handed him over to the police.
The other contract killer managed to flee the scene but was later apprehended in the Rajanganaya area.Investigations are being carried out under the supervision of Negombo Division SSP Ashoka Dharmasena.
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