He mentioned this at the press conference held yesterday (17) at the Sirikotha Party headquarters.
Even though the price of vegetables has decreased compared to last year, it has not reached the level that people are able to feel. This price increase happens when the vegetables bought from the farmer come to the market as a retail product. Only the traders and the public can correct this unfair situation. It is difficult for the Government to deal with this price increase through the intervention of middlemen.
In the past, the amount of food imported from abroad had decreased because we had a shortage of foreign exchange. So far, enough foreign exchange has been received and import restrictions on about 3000 items have been removed. Just as much as food prices have come down and is under some control, the price of the dollar has come down by Rs.60-70. Even though the government has the ability to reduce the price of things imported from abroad such as medicines required for the health sector, it finds it difficult to reduce the price of things produced in the country. Sometimes costs arise that cannot be borne by the farmer. The Government is preparing to intervene in such instances. For example, in the case of the paddy farmer, the government intervenes to buy rice and makes the purchase fair to all parties.
The Government attention has been focused on redeveloping areas that have resulted in people losing their jobs, such as the construction sector, and towards providing those jobs. In particular, industries connected to that field, such as the tile and brick industry, have also fallen to some extent. The Government hopes to implement a programme to create jobs in such fields as well, in the future.
Also, the Government is working towards bringing the bank interest rate below 9% to a single digit. Also, loan follow-up negotiations with the International Monetary Fund are scheduled to take place in September. After that, it will be possible to create opportunities for about 1.4 million persons who were formerly in the construction industry.
It is regrettable that especially at a time when such a situation has arisen in the country, when international organizations and unimaginable leaders and states are coming forward to help us, the opposition is trying to bankrupt this country again and on behalf of their own political advantages. It is necessary to mention that it is a very ugly situation.
The President stated very clearly in the Parliament that we should all get together to build this country and after that only, we will divide and go to an election. For example, in the discussion about the thirteenth amendment to the constitution, the opposition is seen playing football these days. When the President declares that the responsibility of implementing the 13th Amendment rests entirely with the Parliament, the Opposition is trying to create problems in the country by re-creating a communal crisis. The government is ready to discuss and solve these proposals effectively in the Parliament. They should realise that this is the expectation of the people of the country.
For example, when the Government is going to handover a certain amount of land taken over in the North back to the people, it is necessary to remind the people who oppose it that when Mahinda Rajapaksa was the President, he released about 12,000 acres.
Now, when we are going to release 300 acres, it is apparent that even the Maha Sangha who did not oppose it when twelve thousand acres were released, are now coming forward to talk about releasing 300 acres, at this moment. During the past the Army took over buildings and properties. When the problems ended, they were handed back. The same thing is happening now. Therefore, the people of the North and East have not been able to enjoy their rights since the end of the war. We should ask the question whether it should happen or not. We should ask society whether we should imprison them, just because they are Tamils.
