23 March 2020 07:39 pm
Stressing that it is imperative to discuss ways and means to resolve the emerging crisis which the government is about to face, both UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and Samagi Jana Balawegaya Leader Sajith Premadasa called for an all party conference to resolve the issue.
Mr. Wickremesinghe in a special statement called for a national level discussion of key government leaders, all political party leaders , health experts and religious leaders to discuss and device a national plan to face the crisis brought on by COVID-19.
“We urge the government to call for a national level conference of key government leaders, all political party leaders , health experts and religious leaders to discuss and device a national plan to face the crisis brought on by the COVID-19 and to appoint a join committee to face the issue,” Mr. Wickremesinghe said.
He also said several countries like the US and UK had formed a coordination committee to deal with the issue.
SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa also called for an all party conference to discuss the issue. Mr. Premadasa urged the government to carry out a relief programme to assist the needy who depend on odd jobs and religious leaders who depend on alms by the people.
"Buddhist monks who traditionally depend on alms could be effected by the spread of COVID-19 as people cannot provide Dhana to them amidst curfew. One has to think of other religious leaders as well and see to that some mechanism is in force to assist them," he also said.(Yohan Perera)