Deputy Minister takes opposition to task over failure to inform of disaster warning

By Ajith Siriwardana

The opposition must be sued for failing to inform the government of an impending cyclone if they were aware of it from November 12. The opposition also has a responsibility as they are also people’s representatives elected by people’s votes.
Claiming that the opposition kept mum on the warnings of an impending cyclone for two weeks from November 12 as they claimed, Deputy Minister Mahinda Jayasinghe said yesterday the opposition must be sued for failing to inform the government of a warning of an impending cyclone if they were aware of it from November 12.   
He told reporters that the government had not received any prior warning of a cyclone issued by the Meteorology Department or the Irrigation Department on November 12 as claimed by the opposition.   
“The opposition parties, specially, Samagi Jana Balawegaya and Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP)had been attending Parliament for the budget debate for 14 days from November 12 to November 26. None of them raised it in Parliament but kept it a secret until the disaster occurred. Just as the government has a responsibility to prevent such a disaster, the opposition also has a responsibility. They are also people’s representatives elected by people’s vote,” he said.