We are now waiting to count how many lies the President tells in his third Budget – Namal Rajapaksa
COLOMBO:SLPP National Organizer and MP Namal Rajapaksa today accused the Government of failing to deliver on its promises, saying the public was now waiting to see how many more promises the President would make in his third Budget.
Speaking in Parliament, Rajapaksa said the Government had initially promised to digitalize everything, starting with national identity cards, but the country was now witnessing queues for fuel, gas and even tins.
“We came to power hearing promises about digitalising everything, starting with national identity cards. But today, fuel queues and gas queues have been joined by queues for tins. We are now waiting to count how many lies the President will tell in his third Budget,” he said.
While acknowledging the Government’s decision to provide some relief on fuel prices through the Aswesuma programme, Rajapaksa questioned why the Government had failed to honour its earlier promise to sell fuel at the price at which it was unloaded from ships.
He said the President himself had made that promise and that ministers should explain its failure directly to him rather than telling the Opposition that it was impractical.
Rajapaksa also accused the Government of increasing taxes despite earlier assurances that VAT would be removed from essential items, including school supplies, medicines and food.
He claimed that taxes had been increased on vehicle imports, bank interest and consultancy services, including those in the IT sector, despite the Government’s stated ambition to build an economy centred on information technology.
“The Government talks about building a massive IT-driven economy, but at the same time it is imposing taxes on people in the IT sector who are struggling to earn a living without any meaningful assistance from the State,” he said.
He further argued that the Government had failed to establish the necessary infrastructure before introducing its digitalisation initiatives, leaving ordinary people to bear the consequences of an inadequately prepared system.
Turning to the rising cost of living, Rajapaksa said the reduction in fuel prices offered limited relief when the Government continued to impose higher taxes on fuel.
He claimed that fuel taxes had increased by around Rs. 30 compared with previous levels, while the prices of milk powder and other essential commodities continued to put pressure on household budgets.
“People’s salaries are not increasing at the same pace as the cost of living. When Government ministers travel around the country, they may not see gas queues, but ordinary people in villages and towns are experiencing these difficulties every day,” he said.
Rajapaksa questioned what concrete measures the Government had introduced over the past two-and-a-half years to control the cost of living, reduce the financial burden on schoolchildren’s education and strengthen household economies.
He also raised concerns over inflation, claiming that it had exceeded eight per cent and warning that the situation could worsen further.
Referring to the Government’s response to the damage caused by Cyclone Ditwah, Rajapaksa accused the President of making misleading statements in Parliament, claiming that some affected families were still living in temporary shelters and that damaged roads and houses remained unrepaired.
He said the Government had spent two Budgets without delivering on its promises and questioned whether the third Budget would simply contain more unfulfilled assurances.
Rajapaksa also challenged the Government to identify new employment opportunities created through foreign investments attracted during its tenure.
He claimed that several foreign investors had either withdrawn or abandoned projects, including an Indian company associated with a power project, a Chinese company involved in port-related operations and a Japanese investor.
He warned that unfavourable tax policies and legislation could further discourage foreign investment, arguing that both existing and potential investors could reconsider doing business in Sri Lanka.
On national security legislation, Rajapaksa said the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) required amendments to reflect modern realities, particularly given the changing nature of terrorism and extremism in South Asia.
However, he stressed that new legislation should not be used to target individuals based on their appearance, hairstyles, tattoos or clothing.
“Modern anti-terrorism laws should address extremism and genuine security threats. They should not be used to imprison someone because of a tattoo, long hair or the clothes they wear,” he said.
He also expressed concern over what he described as the increasing politicisation of the police and the misuse of law enforcement powers against Opposition members and ordinary citizens.
Citing several alleged incidents, including deaths in police custody, shootings involving three-wheelers, alleged fabrication of drug-related charges and complaints of police misconduct, Rajapaksa questioned whether the Government was ensuring accountability within the police service.
He referred to the alleged death of a young man at the Homagama Police Station and questioned the Government’s response to the incident.
He also raised concerns over an incident in which a 16-year-old was allegedly shot during a police pursuit, questioning the justification for the use of lethal force.
Referring to incidents in Kurunegala, he alleged that police officers had been involved in misconduct, including an alleged robbery during a house search.
Rajapaksa further referred to the Embilipitiya incident involving a cannabis cultivation raid, claiming that a police officer had faced disciplinary consequences after a raid involving a politician’s alleged cannabis plantation.
He questioned why the officer had not been reinstated despite what he said were interventions by the Human Rights Commission.
He also raised questions over the investigation into the death of the tusker Kavantissa, alleging that attempts were being made to produce false evidence against an individual while the actual perpetrators remained unidentified.
Rajapaksa said the Government should focus on creating a conducive environment for investment, generating employment and addressing the economic difficulties faced by ordinary citizens rather than relying on political rhetoric.
“Running an economy cannot be done by coming to Parliament and making grand speeches or telling blatant lies. The Government must have a proper plan and work towards delivering results,” he said.
He concluded by saying that the Opposition was now waiting for the President’s third Budget to see how many more promises would be made without being fulfilled.
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