“This has become a government that keeps the people hungry, in the dark and stops traffic halfway. Therefore, we demand that a decision should be taken to remove these two groups that do not have any plans to protect the rights of the people and establish a government capable of building the country, says the General Secretary of the JVP Tilvin Silva.
He said this speaking at a media briefing held at the head office of the JVP at Pelawatta yesterday (24th).
He said, “There are several serious crises facing the people at the moment. The oil and electricity crisis is one of them. Under the rule of Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the people of our country have been facing serious problems. There are shortages of goods, gas, cement and milk powder. Prices of essential commodities including rice and vegetables have gone up. Despite these difficulties, people endured these conditions.
The oil and electricity crisis is now like a bull attacking a man who fell from a tree. Although it was felt from the beginning, the people are now suffering due to the government’s failure to provide solutions. The loss of electricity and oil has taken a heavy toll on people’s lives. People have to wait in queues due to lack of fuel. Some filling stations are closed. Some filling stations have long queues. Meanwhile, there are also power cuts at present – electricity is cut off for about four and a half hours a day.”
The President is in his own dream world
“It has put tremendous pressure on the lives of ordinary people, including children studying for the GCE Advanced Level examination and those returning home from work. Government MPs and ministers avoid the issue by telling the country jokes and not seeking answers. Instead of engaging in their employment, people wait in queues during the day and in the dark at night. This is not a normal situation. It is an occasion when a very oppressive situation has been imposed on the people. Government leaders do not take any responsibility in this regard.
People were asked for a massive mandate saying a visionary leader who could do everything would be elected. While having the executive presidency, two-thirds parliamentary power and the power gained by the Twentieth Amendment, the military too has been deployed for various purposes. Despite all this, today, there is no government. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is not concerned about oil shortages, goods shortages, and power cuts. He dreams of reaping the benefits of organic farming in the world in which he lives. He believes that the buds can still be plucked from the fertilizer applied two years ago.
At the Anuradhapura rally, the President said that the work that could not be done due to two years of corona would be done in the next three years. He comes out with different stories but avoids questions and does not give real answers. The fuel crisis was not a sudden one. There have been predictions of a dollar shortage, rising oil prices, and a power crisis for some time now. Nevertheless, the situation has worsened due to the inability to see even a month ahead. Gamini Lokuge, who has electricity, says that if oil is given, lights will be given. Petroleum Minister Gammanpila says that if dollars are given, oil will be given. Government ministers do not come out with answers but ask questions from the people. Mr Gammanpila compared Mr Gotabaya to Putin, Mahathir Mohamad and Lee Kuan Yew. Now they tell their grief to the public. Instead of stepping aside, they waste people’s money to lead their luxurious lives and enjoy ministerial privileges. We emphasize that ministers must accept their responsibilities.”
Where is the oil price stabilization fund?
“Statements made by ministers as well as institutions such as the Public Utilities Commission cannot be accepted. On February 12, they said there would be no power cuts until Monday. They also said on February 16 that there would be no need for a power cut until April. However, after two days, they started power cuts of four and a half hours. People have not been made aware of their plans. This situation has arisen under an irresponsible, unaccountable and short-sighted government. Nevertheless, the President says that by 2030 they will have fully renewable energy. Meanwhile, the country’s economy has been reduced to the level of borrowing, and a huge foreign exchange deficit has been created. US $ 500 million has been borrowed from India to import oil. When that debt runs out, they will look for another loan. If no one gives loans, Sri Lanka will have no oil. The extent of the crisis is that when an oil tanker arrives, two ministers go and dance to welcome it. The two parties that have ruled the country so far should be held responsible for this situation. Mr Gammanpila came to the media in the morning and evening and said that fuel prices could increase. However, when Gotabaya Rajapaksa came to power, the oil price in the world market had come down significantly. As an Opposition, we emphasized that the people should be given the benefit by reducing fuel prices. Instead, the government said it would set up an oil price stabilization fund. Where is that fund today? On the other hand, Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa stated that he would reduce the price of dhal to give the oil concession to all. The biggest problem in our country is the lack of a system to store oil when prices are low. This situation is special despite there is an oil tank system in Trincomalee. Also, the Sapugaskanda oil refinery was closed without crude oil. If there was an oil refinery, in addition to petrol, diesel and kerosene, gas and fuel could also be obtained. However, this government as well as previous governments, did not take any steps to modernize the refinery. Meanwhile, MPs and ministers are wasting a lot of oil. They go about in convoys. The government should set an example of thrift in times of oil crisis. Instead, Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera suggests public servants to come to work on bicycles due to the fuel crisis.”
Keheliya’s electricity bill is Rs. 12 million
“Government’s nonsensical jabbering cannot solve these problems. Mr Mahinda Rajapaksa said that during the 2010-2014 election, gas was found in our oil deposit in the Mannar. Despite making these promises during the election campaign, the country was dragged into a situation where there was no money to import oil. He did not think of the country’s people except stealing, wasting and enjoying their privileges. Due to this, the power crisis has become very serious today. Power cuts mean the industry is collapsing. Production routes are blocked. Both oil and electricity are connected to production lines. Due to the loss of oil, the fishermen cannot go to the sea. Harvesters cannot be used during the Maha season. The transport stops halfway. When both oil and electricity are lost together, our country is in a dire situation at a difficult time. In 2016, the Minister appointed a sub-committee on the power crisis and asked it to look into the issues and make recommendations. Ministers Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, Susil Premajayantha, Patali Champika Ranawaka, Sagala Ratnayake, Eran Wickramaratne and Ajith P. Perera were on the committee. They identified problems and made a number of recommendations. They pointed out that serious problems were due to a lack of high-tech system control. Now, even in 2022, those recommendations have not been implemented.
There were also proposals to rectify the inherent faults in the Norochcholai power plant. There was no definitive plan for alternative energy. Due to this, a situation has been created where the electricity generation in our country is determined by oil. Due to this, both oil and electricity have been cut off today. When an oil crisis was brewing, water from reservoirs was released to generate hydroelectric power. As a result, the capacity of the reservoirs dropped to a low level in a short period of time.
The production of small hydropower plants has also come down, and now about 70% of electricity is generated from fuel. The Norochcholai coal power plant has become unreliable like the government. Neither the present government nor the past governments have acted to solve this problem. Meanwhile, the Electricity Board owes Rs. Eighty-two billion to the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation. Meanwhile, the CEB has a large amount of money that it could not recover. Government ministers and big businessmen associated with them have not paid their electricity bills.
For example, Minister Keheliya Rambukwella has been sent a letter by CEB mentioning the electricity bill. According to the letter, Rs. 1266883 is to be recovered from the minister from February 2015 to December 31, 2021, the period in which the Minister resided. There are both questions of size of use and non-payment of bills. It has also been emphasized that this amount is only the arrears related to the consumption of the Minister. It is because of this situation that the CEB has not been able to repay its debts.
It is wrong for a country’s energy sector to go to foreign countries for whatever reason. Both the independence and the national security of the country will be lost. However, each sector of the energy sector is being sold. The country has collapsed due to the activities carried out in those days and also due to bragging. When the tourism industry is recovering, the problem of oil and electricity has come up again.
As such, it has become a government that keeps the people hungry, in the dark and stops traffic halfway. Therefore, we demand that a decision should be taken to remove these two groups that do not have any plan to protect the rights of the people and establish a government capable of building the country. At the same time, we urge the government to stop bragging and continue to provide electricity and fuel to meet the basic needs of the people without increasing fuel prices.”
