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Opposition propagating lies to derail govt’s development drive – Johnny

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Those who had once fooled the people with lies such as golden horses and Lamborghinis owned by the Rajapaksas and spread rumours about their non-existing properties and assets now were again working hard to make people believe that there was unprecedented destruction of the environment, says Chief Government Whip Highways Minister Johnston Fernando.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Vari Saubhaagya project with the renovation and dredging of the Mahawewa at Pinnapolegama in Nikaweratiya recently, the Minister said that the JVP and SJB had their activists and so-called environmentalists working overtime publishing social media posts of a government sponsored forest clearing spree.

“Some of them have taken pictures of forests cleared in foreign countries from the internet and edited and put them up on Facebook to mislead the public. This shows their political bankruptcy. “Soon before the 2015 presidential election, they propagated lies and got some people to believe wild allegations such as golden horses, expensive cars, hotels and acres of lands belonging to the Rajapaksas. Some people seemed to have accepted their lies about Rajapaksas owning hotels, resorts and lands. That would not happen again. If the SJB and JVP liars think that people would fall again for their lies, then they are mistaken. When we built the Lankagama road they clamoured from their rooftops that we were felling trees in the rain forest. Then we pointed out that there was not a single tree felled under that project. Thereafter, there was an uproar calling for a crudia zeylanica tree ; they claimed it was the one and only such tree in the entire world. That show came to an end when people found that there are many other such trees in this country.”

Fernando said that the incumbent government had been formed with the votes of the people who had been promised a developed country in return for their votes. “We are bound to develop this country. It is as a part of those development projects we construct roads. According to the SJB and JVP the purpose of constructing roads is not providing people with means of access and of transporting their produce to the market but to cut the trees and damage the environment.  We develop this country while conserving the environment. Today, we started a project to plant 75,000 saplings along the expressways in the country. This is in addition to 100,000 saplings to be planted along the roads coming under the purview of the Ministry of Highways.”

He said that times and people’s needs had changed and the government had to work in line with the aspirations of the people today and not as per the archaic regulations in the gazettes issued in the 1800s. “We have to update ourselves as per the needs of the time we are living in. Provisions of the old gazettes would no longer suit the situation prevailing now. We must do away with them when those regulations no longer serve the purposes or stand as stumbling blocks on our way to develop this country for the betterment of people’s lives of people.”

The Minister said that the yahapalana government had imposed Rs 1,000 tax on a cube of metal and it would be removed soon so that the metal crushers of the quarries in Anuradhapura and Kurunegala districts would benefit.

Minister Fernando said the government would not allow its development drive to be derailed by the Opposition and various outfits pretending to be environmental groups.



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President requests the opposition to support the implementation of the IMF agreement

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President Ranil Wickremesinghe urged the Opposition to unite and disregard political differences to assist in carrying out the IMF agreement, which would aid in the development of Sri Lanka’s economy.

The President emphasized that his duty is not to condemn previous administrations but to concentrate on the development of the country. He also declared his dedication to constructing a better future by creating laws and frameworks that prevent the recurrence of past errors.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe delivered this message in a special address to Parliament this morning (22) regarding the receipt of the Extended Credit Facility from the International Monetary Fund.

He stated that despite allegations being leveled against him that his objective was not to rescue the country from an economic crisis but to safeguard the Rajapaksa family, the international community had acknowledged his efforts to carry the country across the economic vine bridge.

The President further said that he had faith in rebuilding the beloved country where he was born, brought up and educated, and said that many past experiences were the reasons for confirming that faith.

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SJB, JVP move SC against Finance Secy. for contempt of court

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The main Opposition, Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB), and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) yesterday (21) moved Supreme Court against Treasury Secretary Mahinda Siriwardana over his failure to provide funds required by the Election Commission to conduct the Local Government polls, ignoring an interim order issued by the apex court, on 03 March.

Ranjith Madduma Bandara, MP, is the petitioner for the SJB and Vijitha Herath, MP, moved court on behalf of the JVP, the leading party in the Jathika Jana Balawegaya (JJB).

Two Opposition parties declared action against Siriwardana the day after the Freedom People’s Alliance (FPA) issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Finance Secretary to release the funds.

EC Chairman Nimal Punchihewa is on record as having said that in spite of SC directive he didn’t receive fresh funding.

The petitioners sought the issuance of summons on Siriwardana for contempt of court over failure to carry out its interim orders, given on 03 March.

The petitioners want the Finance Secretary punished in terms of Article 105 (3) of the Constitution.

The SJB stated that Siriwardana had refrained from carrying out the March directives, on the basis of a Cabinet decision, taken on 13 Feb., 2023. The SJB also pointed out that the offensive conduct of the Treasury Secretary, inter alia, causes grave prejudice to the esteemed authority of the Supreme Court and in turn disturb the public confidence in the authority of the highest Court in the country. (SF)

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Minister indicates reduction in fuel prices in April

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Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara told Parliament yesterday that fuel prices would be reduced considerably according to the fuel price formula at the next fuel price revision, due in April.

The Minister said that the government would be able to procure fuel shipments, at lower prices, during competitive bidding, with the receipt of the IMF bailout.

There had been practical issues, and problems, in opening Letters of Credit, and obtaining credit facilities, in the recent past, as Sri Lanka could not give a guarantee to fuel suppliers, Minister Wijesekara said.

“We could not open LCs and obtain credit facilities when procuring fuel. After the IMF bailout, we will be able to procure fuel at lower prices during competitive biddings. We will be able to obtain a long-term credit facility as well. Fuel prices in the global market seem to have declined and the rupee has also gained strength against the US Dollar. Having considered all these factors, fuel prices will be reduced by a considerable margin which could be felt by the people,” he said.

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