A move is underway to appoint Minister Dullas Alahapperuma as the General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party in place of Minister Maithripala Sirisena, UNP Monaragala Provincial Councilor Tissa Kuttiarachchi told a news conference today.

“SLFP will select Dullas Alahapperuma as their General Secretary soon. Minister Sirisena is not to be seen at the ‘Nil Rella’ campaign. Its only President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Basil Rajapaksa who are in the propaganda posters,” he said.

Mr. Kuttiarachchi said the government was not interested in giving any subsidies to the poor people even for the New Year season.

“People are facing a hard time. 20% of Sri Lankans are spending money borrowed by pawning their gold jewellery. Even a small child is unable to by a packet of firecrackers because the prices have risen,” he said.  

UNP spokesman Gayantha Karunathilake said the government should reduce the price of fuel because the world prices have decreased.

“Price of a barrel of crude oil had reduced to 85 dollars today.  The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation can easily reduce the price of a litre of petrol by Rs.35 and still make a profit; the government should immediately submit a cabinet paper and charge from unprofitable corporations and Ministries, rather than increasing oil and electricity prices. We can’t allow people to pay for someone else’s sins.”  

Mr. Karunathilake said the government should give its opinion on the submissions made to the Public Utilities Commission with regard to the hike in electricity tariffs.

“We want the government’s opinion because 95% of people are against a rate increase. If they ignore the results and increase the rates, they will be only listening to the 5% of those who are in favour of a tariff increase,” he said.

He said the 5% are the ones who spend the poor people’s money while depending on them. (YP and LSP)