Failure of government caused immense of tension over the SAITM issue - Chameera Perera

Apr 09, 2017

Addressing Citizen’s Organization Collective (COC) weekly press conference held at CSR on April 6, Left Centre Co-convener Chameera Perera said that failure of government caused immense of tension over the SAITM issue.

“Certain political opportunist groups are interfering this issue in order to gain political advantage.” He added, “There are many ways the government to solve this problem.”

“As citizens’ group we urge the government to follow “not for profit concept about private education”.

Akalanka Hettiarachchi, convener of “Aluth Parapura” said that the government has been taken long period to solve the SAITM issue. “We urge government to publish the presidential committee report on SAITM as soon as possible”.

Hettiarachchi pointed out the January 8th people’s mandate demands and said that SAITM is against the people’s mandate due to the government has been given a chance to one person to earn money from the private education.

COC leaders criticized the government doctors’ strike to be held on April 7th. 
Meanwhile Ant-SAITM groups including GMOA and Joint Opposition have taken a decision to hold a protest march for pressure the government to abolish SAITM. 
During the press conference Perera criticized the former Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapkashe’s behavior at the recent press conference with the foreign media journalists.

“Kindly go through the Gotabhaya Rajapakshe’s response to journalist who raised questions about the Gotabhaya’s way of speak to the wife of slain journalist Lasantha Wickramathunga. Gotabhaya justified that whatever he told to the wife of Lasantha he said that such things are happening to even in the America. Those who follow the lumpan culture in America follow the that style of speech. But respectable American politician never addressing the people like people who follow the lumpan culture. Wife of Lasantha has been given a wonderful response to Gotabhaya after that press conference. We heard that Gotabhaya Rajapakshe study about the American president Donald Trump. Trump doesn’t have good political background such as political roots. If the Sri Lankan select the person who follow the Donald Trump what will happen to this country?

COC leaders also spoke out issues of Wilpattu, misuse of 9.5 billion money of EPF and Arjun Mahendran’s family’s investments.

(Photos and reported by Lawrence Ferdinando)