Country on verge of collapse – Sajith

Large crowds in Colombo

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday said Sri Lanka was on the verge of an economic disaster. Addressing party supporters who gathered in Colombo to protest against government policies, he said that the government had no solutions to the issues faced by the people.

‘The people are suffering. This is mainly due to the bad administration, authoritarianism, cronyism, and the arrogance of the government.”

Premadasa said that a large number of people from many parts of the country had gathered in Colombo to articulate their grievances.

The Opposition Leader said mothers and children were suffering from malnutrition and there would be a food crisis soon.

“They came to power promising efficiency and technocratic governance. However, for the first time in 51 years, the oil refinery inaugurated by the late Dudley Senanayake has been shut down because there is no crude oil. We have been through rough patches. We have had a long war with the LTTE but never have we run out of money to buy crude oil,” he said.

Premadasa said that the government claimed there were no funds to purchase crude oil, but it had enough money for spot purchases. This was a ploy to make a killing through underhand deals, he added.