We are ask the Pohottu MPs whether they will vote to remove the Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission from his position who says no to a proposal that adversely effects the innocent and poor people of this country. Who can raise a hand to place more burden upon people’s heads? Parliamentarian Mr. Dayasiri Jayasekara, General Secretary of Sri Lanka Freedom Party, asked whether they can see who really loves and who hates the people of this country from the parliamentary ministers on the 24th.
The electricity bill increases according to a proposal prepared by the Public Utilities Commission based on a number of factors.
But this system did not work for 7 years. The reason is that Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa had announced that once the Norechole power plant is built, the electricity bill will be reduced by 25 percent. Accordingly, the electricity bill was reduced that day. But when a political leader says that he will reduce the electricity bill in return for his initiative to build a power plant, it is like an election promise. What happened in the end? The one that was reduced by 25 percent is the one that was increased by about 75 percent.
The Public Utilities Commission opposed it. They said not to increase so much. They gave recommendations regarding the number to be increased. But as the minister wanted, the electricity bill was increased by 75 percent. Again increased by 66 percent. These are all things that went beyond the Utilities Commission. G.E.C. When the commission said not to cut the electricity during the high school exams, it was not accepted. Children studied for the exam by the light of bottle lamps. How unfair is that?
Now the minister is trying to reduce the electricity bill by three percent. But the utility commission says that it can be reduced by 30 percent. This minister increased the electricity bills of poor people in Sri Lanka by 250 percent. Those are his individual decisions. Now the chairman of the Public Utilities Commission, who worked to save it, is being tried to be fired. It is like Shirani Bandaranaike was brought to the Parliament but the Supreme Court kicked him out. We are against this. This government is trying to drive him out because he takes decisions for the good of the people.
We are asking the MPs in Pohottuwa, will you vote to remove the Chairman of the Public Utility Commission from his position who says no to the proposals that hit the stomachs of the innocent and poor people of this country.
On the 24th, the people of the country can see who really loves and hates the people of this country among the parliamentary ministers.
The MP said this while commenting on a proposal to be brought to Parliament by the ruling party regarding the removal of the Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission from that position.
However, the government had entrusted the task of getting the SLFP MPs to support the resolution to Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva.
