UNP MP Lakshman Kiriella today urged the government not to hold night races in Kandy as it was pointless and would damage the historical value of the city.
“People are not asking for night races. If the government respects the feelings of the people it should avoid wasteful expenditure and provide relief to the people,” he said.
Mr. Kiriella said that giving jobs to the unemployed youth was much better than organising a race.
“The proposed races are going to waste a large amount of money and electricity. No one has paid for the electricity used during previous night races. Those expenses had also become a burden to the people as usual,” he said and added that the UNP expected the government to fulfill its May Day promises.
“As a beginning they can reduce the increased electricity tariffs. But we want the government to do away with the tariff increase entirely. We will consider taking legal actions against the formula after the government gazettes the new prices,” he said.
Mr. Kiriella said the government was heading towards an economic disaster and only party that could save the country from disaster was the UNP as it had the right vision on the economy and a good relationship with the international community.
He said the government’s policy of turning towards to China when it came to taking loans was only because they can get a 30 per cent commission.
UNP MP Eran Wickramaratne told a news conference that the hike in electricity tariffs had been introduced to cover up the Government inefficiency and corruption.
Referring to the statistics in the 2007 Central Bank report he said CEB lost heavily because of the agreement between the10 Independent Power Projects (IPP) and the Government. He said the then UNP Government had only signed agreements with two IPPs.
Mr. Wickramaratne said the UNP would renegotiate all the projects and would not let unjust contracts to operate under an UNP government. (Lahiru Pothmulla)
Source: Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)
