• Takes them to task on lengthening passport queues, unreduced taxes, non-reduction of certain fuel prices, electricity tariff non-revision   
• SJB wants Prez to reveal fuel-related costs & pricing details 

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Leader Sajith Premadasa criticised the Government’s failure to fulfil its promises of tax reduction, fuel price reduction and eliminating queues for passports. 

Addressing a gathering in Avissawella, Premadasa emphasised that the Sri Lankan people are in need of actual public service, not media spectacles.

 “The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna led National People’s Power Government led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is supplying amusements to the country. However, a country cannot be governed through jokes. During the Presidential Election period, they made statements about putting an end to queues for passports, yet, they have not done it. The solutions provided through text messages and social media are useless. At the moment, the queues have expanded. They also promised to reduce the Value Added Tax, the Advance Personal Income Tax and the Pay As You Earn tax. However, none of them have been reduced,” he stressed. 

Furthermore, Premadasa added: “Earlier, they said that they would not be beholden to the International Monetary Fund. However, now, they have agreed to work with them. They said that they will not be incarcerated by the fuel pricing formula, yet, they have become imprisoned by it. Even though they had the opportunity to reduce the prices of fuel used by most of the public, they only reduced the prices of Octane 95 Petrol and Super Diesel for the benefit of the elites. Have they reduced the prices of fuel even though they previously made statements that they would? Why haven’t they reduced the electricity tariff when they promised to do so? They don’t need to form a Parliament to fulfil those promises. Enough of these spectacles, the public needs real service, not spectacles”.

Meanwhile, the SJB urged the Government to reveal the processes and specific details pertaining to the procuring and importing of crude oil and setting prices for fuel, adding that the Government has failed to reduce fuel prices as it promised when it was in the Parliamentary Opposition. The SJB alleged that the Government is not being honest when it comes to these processes, which it said has prevented the Government from reducing fuel prices in a fair and public friendly manner.

 SJB Trade Union Convenor Ananda Palitha made these remarks to the media in response to Ceylon Petroleum Corporation authorities, who, during a media briefing this week, said that a significant fuel price reduction involves practical difficulties. Palitha refuted these claims, adding that the said inability to reduce fuel prices was unacceptable given the prices at which crude oil and fuel are imported and also the amount of taxes imposed on fuel. 

“The President should first reveal the prices at which crude oil is imported to the country,” he said, adding that the Government should also reveal how the fuel pricing formula works, and also the specific details including the companies involved that determine fuel prices in the local market.