No benefit to people after war
Corruption seems to be a way of life and if 40 to 45 per cent of corruption and waste could be eradicated the people could benefit as the astronomical cost of living would be brought down to a great extent, UNP Parliamentarian and National Organiser Ravi Karunanayake said.
He told The Island yesterday (22) that it was just unbelievable that the government does exactly what it wants and even blames the UNP for this miserable situation too.
He demanded to know what the UPFA government had done for the people regarding the high cost of living, which has a big impact on them. There seems to be no plan to bring it down, he said.
The Deputy General-Secretary of the UNP and President of the Party’s Trade Union (Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya – JSS) Dr. Jayalath Jayawardene said that corruption had gone sky high and there was no law and order in the country. He said that it was the small fry who get caught by the Bribery Commission, but the sharks, some of whom are powerful politicians, escape.
He said that no one in government seems to take responsibility for this said state of affairs. The UNP submitted a petition to the Bribery Commission about the recent import of low quality fuel and are in the process of drafting another petition regarding the corruption at the Ministry of Health.
The Gampaha District Parliamentarian told The Island that Minister of Health Maithripala Sirisena himself admitted that a massive sum of Rs. 500 million has been spent on the Peradeniya Teaching Hospital. He said that there were low quality medicines in the market and prices were just astronomical, but poor people were forced to purchase them to save the lives of their kith and kin.
He said that prescriptions from government doctors are issued to purchase medicines privately as hospital do not possess them. Even various kinds of tests are carried out in private laboratories, and it was a shocking state.
He said that the war on terrorism ended in May 2009, but with no benefits to the people as prices were escalating.
He said that the Paddy Marketing Board (PMB) was not purchasing paddy from the poor farmers in certain areas and the government was talking of massive development projects (roads, fly-overs, ports, airports) where huge commissions are involved.
Dr. Jayawardene said that none of the price increases were even discussed at the Parliamentary Consultative Committee level.
The Island: