by Saman Indrajith

Women are undergoing untold hardships due to the economic downturn while the ruling party politicians were helping themselves to public funds, says the JVP women wing.

Addressing the media at the JVP headquarters in Pelawatte, Secretary of the JVP-led Women for Rights Municipal Council Member Samanmalee Gunasinghe said: “The government is further aggravating the situation with its short-sighted solutions. It has no solutions to the burning problems the people are beset with. Many essentials are in short supply. There are protests against the shortage of fertiliser, cement, milk powder, cooking gas, and imported raw materials for local industries.

“The Trade Minister promised to make rice freely available at Rs 100 a kilo. Thereafter the government promised to bring rice from abroad. They vowed to control the rice mafia. Now, a kilo of rice sells at Rs 170-180. There is no price control, and traders and millers are exploiting the public. The rice shortage is due to the government’s botched fertiliser experiment. The government promised organic food and is importing food items produced with agrochemicals.

“Housewives suffer because of erratic power cuts. There is no gas and those who use electricity for cooking purposes are in trouble due to power outages. One minister says that he could import fuel if there are dollars. The other minister says that he could give electricity if he gets fuel.

“The President vows to import electric vehicles while the country is facing power cuts. Children cannot do their studies and factory workers are out of jobs during the hours of power cuts. The government should consider that the GCE advanced level exam is drawing closer and stop power cuts enabling the children to continue their studies.

President of WFR, Sarojini Savithri Paul Raj said: Acute shortage of food, medicine and essential commodities are experienced all over the country. Shops are without flour and other food items, hospitals do not have medicine, even private pharmacies do not have some types of medicine for elderly as well as infants. Freight containers carrying essentials are held up at the Colombo Port due to the dollar shortage. At this rate is it only wishful thinking that we will be able to celebrate the Sinhala and Tamil New Year.

WFR Ex-Co member Subhashini Wickremasinghe also addressed the press.