Steering with Maithri, Brakes & accelerator with Ranil – they pull in opposite directions
Despite Maithri having the steering wheel, the brakes and the accelerator of the vehicle are with Ranil and the two of them try to drive in opposite directions just like when the buffalo and the cattle are tied to a plough says JVP Member for Uva Provincial Council Samantha Vidyaratna adding that the duo cannot go straight but pull on either direction. He said that is why the cabinet had to be amended four times.
Mr. Vidyaratna said this at a meeting held at the auditorium of Uva Provincial Council to apprise the public regarding the development proposal of the JVP for Badulla District from the allocations from JVP Members’ fund.
Speaking further Mr. Vidyaratna said, “People thank the President, the Prime Minister or Ministers for allocating funds for various projects. However, it is not necessary for none of the Ministers, nor the President nor the Prime Minister spend their money for the projects. It is the people’s money that is spent for all the projects carried out by the government and other bodies. Rs. 42 from every Rs.100 spent is levied as tax by the government and it is part of this money that comes for projects from the Treasury. Hence, it is the people who spend for all these projects.
Every year, a provincial Council Member gets Rs. 5 million and a Parliamentarian gets Rs. 15 million to carry out various projects in their areas. This money is from the people – the money collected as taxes. Hence, it is not necessary to thank politicians for spending people’s money. It is the people who should be thanked.
However, this incorrect way of thanking politicians for work done with people’s money has been occurring throughout history. Presidents, Prime Ministers, Ministers and other politicians have got their names on plaques of projects carried out with people’s money. The JVP would never mention any names for projects carried out with its allocations.
Today, we would allocate Rs. 5 million received as the Member’s allocation for various projects in the District. We don’t need any thanks for it. What is necessary is to use the money correctly and complete the work.
Very often, in our country, money allocated for various projects go missing. Certain big shots have been caught recently trying to get bribes. The Chief of Staff of President Sirisena and the former Chief of Staff of former President Chandrika Kumaratunga were caught attempting to take a huge bribe. The Chief of Staff of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the head of the Central Bank appointed by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe were caught for fraud. It seems that the biggest crooks in the country are with heads of political parties.
This country cannot be made an amicable one as long as the present decaying political system exists. This system must be changed.
Today, Ranil and Maithri cannot attend to the issues of the country. They have to work hard to protect their leaderships in their parties. They have got themselves caught in a leadership crisis.
To change this situation the political system that has been followed for 70 years must be changed. The country should go on a new path. We ask the people to give us power.”
