‘The truth behind the selling story’ National People’s Power (NPP) Conference 14th September – Foundation Institute, Colombo Professor Anil Jayantha, Chairperson of the Economic Policy Committee of National People’s Power The country’s economy is woven together with that of the people’s lives. We hold this discussion at a moment when living has become so challenging. […]
‘The truth behind the selling story’ National People’s Power (NPP) Conference
14th September – Foundation Institute, Colombo
Professor Anil Jayantha, Chairperson of the Economic Policy Committee of National People’s Power
The country’s economy is woven together with that of the people’s lives. We hold this discussion at a moment when living has become so challenging. Why has the government come to a situation of selling assets? Why does the government attempt to hide the truth behind selling assets? The need for an alternative has arisen for the government to continue and hold onto its powers. It is possible to say that it is fine to do anything if there is no alternative at any given critical moment. However, the society has not lost the alternative. This crisis has solutions. An opportunistic and illegal power-hungry group of people has chosen ‘selling’ as their solution. They state that this selling is made to save the economy. There are some problems that we can see in this, like the problem of living, loss of income, increase in the price of goods, and lack of goods. Therefore, it is possible to decide that it is better to go for any solution to save people from these problems. But by this sale, the standard of living of the people will further decline.
There are a large number of groups waiting to justify this solution of selling assets. We are asked the two questions of whether selling public property is right or wrong. We don’t have to get caught up in it. We live in a society that directs us to maximize the economic system, personal life, wealth, and power. The government too helps maintain such an economy. In such a scenario, they could use State assets for both selling and nationalizing. This is what has happened throughout our history. Large-scale businesses have been started and nationalized claiming that they all are for the betterment of the people. Several specialized institutes have been established to spread the word on the importance of selling to get out of this crisis. Selendiva is one such institute. An economic advisory council has been formed to provide. They have suggested ways to earn money quickly. Instead of solving economic problems and changing people’s lives, they are rushing to find a few dollars quickly. Proposals have been brought to find 08 billion dollars in a very short time.
They are in search of assets that could be sold immediately. Those are the institutions that are making a profit and can make a powerful impact on the economy. Several proposals had come from the Economic Advisory Council regarding airports and banks. There are proposals to sell all the places in Mattala, Ratmalana, and Katunayake and earn 2.7 billion dollars. It has been planned to gain 600 million from the North Colombo harbor project. The government owns some lands in Colombo Port City. It is proposed to be sold for 04 billion under the lease system. And an amount of 08 billion is expected by selling Telecom and Sri Lanka Insurance. Some companies hold direct and indirect ownership of state-owned enterprises. Such institutions have been listed by the Colombo Stock Exchange. These can also be sold easily. This list comprises institutions such as Housing Development Finance Corporation, Lanka Hospital, M. B. S. L., People’s Leasing, People’s Insurance, H. N. B, and Seylan Bank. More than 51% of some institutions are not owned by the government. However, upon investigating the shareholders, significant control power comes under the government when direct and indirect rights are combined. And there are public funds such as E.P.F., E.T.F., and insurance that hold the public’s money. Many of the institutions mentioned above have money belonging to EPF, ETF, and insurance. Therefore, there is a possibility to persuade the immediate selling of these institutions. The danger here is that these can be sold at very low prices. Also, its benefits may go to one or two people.
A government should stand for the needs of the public. If people face any challenge, the government should always intervene in it. Other countries have several institutions for the said purpose. Countries like Thailand and Singapore have state enterprises that protect the rights of their citizens. The question of what will the NPP does once they gain power is that if the state-owned enterprise is reformed for the betterment of the public, such will be decided subject to the intention of the government and the economic policy of the government. Accordingly, some things can be restructured. Some things must be maintained with the power of the state. The intervention of the government is necessary when it comes to the energy sector, naval sector, and geopolitical location. Under the plan of the NPP, the private sector will be facilitated in doing business according to the economic goals we plan, and we also create the right environment for such.
Today the country has come to a critical moment. Hence, selling is not the solution for it. We should understand this. We should be conscious of this. We should get together. If there are people who truly love the country, there is only one platform where they can unite. These efforts can only be reversed by the broad influence created by this gathering of NNP. If not, the remaining valuable resources will be systematically sold in the future through various subterfuges. Sri Lanka is a country that can be developed within a very short period. Let us make this a developed country by managing rightly the limited resource we have. Let us work together to achieve this. Let us reveal to the people their true desire behind this sale and appoint a people-friendly government.
රනිල් වික්රමසිංහගේ ආණ්ඩුව රාජ්ය අමාත්ය ධුර 37ක් පත්කර ඉතාමත් කෙටි කාලයක් ඇතුළත තවත් කැබිනට් අමාත්ය ධූරත් ලබාදීමට නියමිතයි. සාමාන්ය ජනතාවට තමන්ගේ ජීවිතය පවත්වාගෙන යන්න බැරි තරම් ආර්ථික අමාරුකම් තිබෙන අවස්ථාවක, පසුගිය මාස කිහිපය තුළ ඉන්ධන මිල හතර ගුණයකට වඩා වැඩි කර විදුලි ගාස්තු දෙගුණයකින් හෝ තුන් ගුණයකින් ඉහළ දමා තිබෙනවා. ජල ගාස්තුත් වැඩිකර අත්යවශ්ය ආහාරපාන […]
රනිල් වික්රමසිංහගේ ආණ්ඩුව රාජ්ය අමාත්ය ධුර 37ක් පත්කර ඉතාමත් කෙටි කාලයක් ඇතුළත තවත් කැබිනට් අමාත්ය ධූරත් ලබාදීමට නියමිතයි. සාමාන්ය ජනතාවට තමන්ගේ ජීවිතය පවත්වාගෙන යන්න බැරි තරම් ආර්ථික අමාරුකම් තිබෙන අවස්ථාවක, පසුගිය මාස කිහිපය තුළ ඉන්ධන මිල හතර ගුණයකට වඩා වැඩි කර විදුලි ගාස්තු දෙගුණයකින් හෝ තුන් ගුණයකින් ඉහළ දමා තිබෙනවා. ජල ගාස්තුත් වැඩිකර අත්යවශ්ය ආහාරපාන මිල ගණන් විශාල වශයෙන් ඉහළ යවා තිබෙනවා. ජනතාව එදිනෙදා ගැටලු රාශියකට මුහුණ දී සිටිනවා. ආණ්ඩු ප්රමුඛතාවය දිය යුත්තේ ජනතාවගේ මේ ගැටලු විසඳන්නයි. නමුත් වර්තමාන ආණ්ඩුව උත්සාහ කරමින් තිබෙන්නේ ආණ්ඩුවේ අයගේ අභ්යන්තර ගැටලු විසඳා ගන්නයි. රනිල් වික්රමසිංහ තමන් තෝරා පත්කර ගන්න ඡන්දය දුන් 134 දෙනාගේ ගැටලු විසඳීමේ යෙදී සිටිනවා. තමන්ගේ ආච්චි සහ සීයා ‘ණයක් ගත්තොත් ගෙවන්න’ යනුවෙන් උපදෙස් දී ඇති බව රනිල් වික්රමසිංහ පක්ෂ සමුළුවේදී ප්රකාශ කළා. රනිල් වික්රමසිංහගේ ජනාධිපති ධුරය බැසිල් රාජපක්ෂගෙන් ණයට ගත් එකක්. දැන් ඒ ණය පියවමින් පොහොට්ටුව නියෝජනය කරන මන්ත්රීවරු 29කට රාජ්ය අමාත්ය ධුර ලබාදී තිබෙනවා. ශ්රී ලංකා නිදහස් පක්ෂය නියෝජනය කරන 06ක් සහ සජබ නියෝජනය කරන දෙදෙනෙකුට රාජ්ය අමාත්ය ධුර ලබාදී බැසිල් රාජපක්ෂගේ ණය ගෙවමින් සිටිනවා. ඊට අමතරව තව කැබිනට් අමාත්ය ධුරත්, දිස්ත්රික් සම්බන්ධීකරණ කමිටුවල සභාපති ධුරත් ලබාදී තිබෙනවා.
රනිල් වික්රමසිංහ බැසිල්ගේ ණය ගෙවීමට පත්කරන රාජ්ය ඇමතිවරුන් වැටුප් ගන්නේ නැති බවට ප්රචාර ගෙනයනවා. ඔවුන්ට වැටුප අදාළම නැහැ. 2016 අප්රේල් මාසේ 19වැනිදා රනිල් වික්රමසිංහගේ ආණ්ඩුව නිකුත් කළ චක්රලේඛයට අනුව ඇමතිවරුන්ට ලබාදී ඇති ප්රතිපාදන එලෙසින්ම රාජ්ය අමාත්යවරුන් සඳහාද වලංගු කර තිබෙනවා. රාජ්ය අමාත්යවරයෙකුට අහිමි එකම දේ කැබිනට් මණ්ඩලයට සහභාගි නොවීම පමණයි. අදාළ අමාත්යවරයා මගින් කැබිනට් පත්රිකාව ඉදිරිපත් කළ යුතුයි. රාජ්ය අමාත්යවරුන්ට නිල වශයෙන් වාහන 03ක් ලැබෙනවා. බස්නාහිර පළාත තුළ නම් පෙට්රල් වාහන එකක් සඳහා ලීටර් 600ක් සහ බස්නාහිර පළාතෙන් පිට ලීටර් 750ක් මසකට ලැබෙනවා. ඩීසල් වාහනයක් නම් බස්නාහිර පළාත තුළ ලීටර් 500ක් සහ ඉන් පිට ලීටර් 600ක් ලැබෙනවා. මෙවැනි වාහන 03ක් සඳහා පෙට්රල් ලීටර් 2250ක් ලැබෙනවා. පවුලක් ජීවත් කරවන ත්රී වීල් එකකට දෙන්නේ ලීටර් 05යි. රාජ්ය ඇමතිවරුන්ට පෙට්රල් ලීටරයක් රු. 450 බැගින් රුපියල් 1,0125,00ක් මාසයකට තෙල් සඳහා ලැබෙනවා. ඩීසල් වාහනයක් නම් ලීටර් 1800ක් ලැබෙනවා. රු. 430 බැගින් රු. 778,000ක් ලැබෙනවා. එක් රාජ්ය අමාත්යවරයෙකුට තෙල් සඳහා විශාල වරප්රසාදයක් හිමි වෙනවා.
ඒ වගේම ඇමතිවරයෙකුට දුරකතන කාර්යාලයට දෙකක්, නිවාසයට දෙකක් සහ ජංගම දුරකතනයක් ලැබෙනවා. කාර්යාලයේ දුරකතන දෙක වෙනුවෙන් රු. 20,000ක් රාජකාරී නිවාස දුරකතනයය වෙනුවෙන් රු. 10,000ක් සහ ජංගම දුරකතතනයට රු. 10,000ක් වශයෙන් රු. 40,000ක් ලබාදෙනවා. මේ මුදල් ලබාදෙන්නේ මාසික ස්ථාවර ගාස්තුවලට සහ බදු මුදලට අමතරවයි. ඉන්ධන සඳහාත් මිල ඉහළ යන විට මාසික දීමනාවක් ලෙස ගණනය කරනවා. අදාළ මාසයේ පළමුවැනි දින දේශීය වෙළඳපොළේ පවතින මිල ගණන්වලට අනුවයි එම ගණනය කරන්නේ. ඉන්ධන මිල ඉහළ යාමට සමාන්තරව ඇමතිවරුන්ට ලැබෙන ගාණ වැඩිවෙනවා. ඒ මුදල් අතට ලැබෙනවා. ඊට අමතරව නිවාස සහ අනෙකුත් සියලුම පහසුකම් මහජන මුදලින් ලබා දෙනවා. ඒ ගොල්ලෝ බුදිය ගන්නෙත්, කන්නෙ බොන්නෙත් මහජන මුදල්වලින්. ඒ නිවාසවලට අදාළ හැඳි ගෑරුප්පු පවා මහජන මුදලින් ලබා දෙනවා. ගෙයක් ලබාගන්න බැරිවෙන ඇමතිවරුන්ට පැරණි චක්රලේඛ අනුව රු. ලක්ෂයක දීමනාවක් ලබා දෙනවා.
ඇමති කාර්ය මණ්ඩලයට 15 දෙනෙක් ලබා දෙනවා. පෞද්ගලික ලේකම්, සම්බන්ධීකරණ ලේකම්වරු දෙදෙනෙක්, මාධ්ය ලේකම්වරයෙක්, මහජන සම්බන්ධතා නිලධාරීවරයෙක්, පෞද්ගලික සහකාර මහජන සම්බන්ධතා නිලධාරීන් පහක්, කාර්යාල සහායක දෙදෙනෙක්, රියදුරු දෙදෙනෙක්.. ආදී වශයෙන් 15ක් ලැබෙනවා. ඔවුන්ගෙන් පස් දෙනෙකුට මහජන මුදලින් බිල් ගෙවන දුරකතන ලැබෙනවා. රු. 5,000 සිට 6,000දක්වා බිල් ඔවුන් වෙනුවෙන් ගෙවනවා. ස්ථාවර ගාස්තු සහ රජයේ බදු ඉවත් කර ලබාදෙන මුදල මේක. ආරක්ෂාව වෙනුවෙන් ඇමතිවරයෙකු හට පොලිස් නිලධාරීන් 08ක් ලබා දෙනවා. මන්ත්රීවරුන්ට පොලිස් නිලධාරීන් දෙදෙනෙක් ලබා දෙනවා. අපිනම් ආරක්ෂාවට පොලිස් නිලධාරීන් ලබාගෙන නැහැ. ඉන්ධන සමග පසු ගමන් ආරක්ෂක රථයක් ඇමතිවරයෙකට ලබා දෙනවා. රාජ්ය අමාත්ය ධුර වෙනුවෙන් ලබාදෙන අමාත්යාංශ කාර්යාලවලට කුලිය ගෙවන්න ඕනෑ. අමාත්යාංශ ලේකම් ඇතුළු ඉහළ නිලධාරීන්ට වාහන ඉන්ධන දුරකතන ඇතුළු වරප්රසාද ලබා දෙනවා. අතිරේක ලේකම්වරුන්ටත් ඒ වගෙයි. රාජ්ය අමාත්ය ධුරයක් නඩත්තු කරන්න යන වියදම අපේ රටේ ජනපදයක් නඩත්තු කරන්න යන වියදමක් වගෙයි. අපේ රටේ පුරවැසියන් මෙවැනි බරක් දරන්න ඕනෑද? අනෙක් පැත්තෙන් ජනතාවට 15%ක වැට් බදු, 2.5% බැගින් වැල් පොලී එකතු වන තව බදුත් පටවනවා. ජනතාවගේ ධනයෙන් පරපුටු රැලක් නඩත්තු වෙනවා. මහජනතාවට කන් හැන්දෙන්වත් නොදී ඇමතිවරුන්ට බැකෝවලින් බෙදා ගන්නවා. මේ වැනි වැය බරක් ජනතාව තවදුරටත් දැරිය යුතුද?
අපේ රට ආර්ථික ප්රපාතයට හෙළුවේ මේ දේශපාලන සංස්කෘතියයි. මුදල් ඇමති රනිල් වික්රමසිංහ අතේ හැන්ද තියෙන්නේ. ඒ වගේම අටවා ගත් ජනාධිපති. අමාත්යවරු, නියෝජ්ය අමාත්යවරු සිතු සේ පත් කරමින් භාණ්ඩාගාරයේ ධනය බැකෝවලින් බෙදා ගනිමින් ජනතාවට කන් හැන්දෙන්වත් ලබා දෙන්නේ නැහැ. මෙවැනි විශාල ආර්ථික අර්බුදයක් තිබෙන අවස්ථාවක නාස්තිකාර ඇමති ධුර ඕනෑද? ජනතාවගේ ප්රශ්නය ඇමතිවරු, රාජ්ය ඇමතිවරු, නැතිකමද? ජනතාවට තියෙන්නේ ආහාර හිඟයත් මිල ඉහළ යාමත් පිළිබඳ ප්රශ්න. රටට තියෙන්නේ ඩොලර් නැතිකමේ ප්රශ්නය. භාණ්ඩාගාරයට මුදල් නැතිකම. මේ හැම එකක්ම පැත්තක තියලා ඒ ගොල්ලන්ගේ ප්රශ්න විසඳා ගන්න අතර රනිල් වික්රමසිංහ වේදිකාවට ඇවිත් කියන්නේ රාජ්ය සේවය අඩු කරන්න, වියදම් අඩු කරන්න ඕනෑ කියලයි. ඒ අයට උපරිමයෙන් බෙදා ගන්න ගමන් ජනතාව අන්ත පීඩනයකට පත් කරනවා. මේ දේශපාලන සංස්කෘතිය වෙනස් කරන්න ඕනෑ. ඒ වෙනස් කිරීම සඳහා ජනතාව පෙළගැහෙන්න ඕනෑ. නාස්තිකාරී, විගඩම්කාරී සහ පිනට ලැබුණු වස්තුව වියදම් කරනවා වගේ යැපෙන දේශපාලන සංස්කෘතිය වෙනස් කළ යුතුයි.
මේ සඳහා තවත් අත්දැකීම් අවශ්ය නැහැ. මේ පාලකයන් ඇති තරම් අපට අත්දැකීම් දීලා තියෙනවා. කරුණු දීලා තිබෙනවා. ඔවුන් මොන වගේ කණ්ඩායමක්ද කියලා ඔප්පු කර තිබෙනවා. ජනතාවගේ මුදල්වලින් යැපෙන මොන තරම් පරපුටු කණ්ඩායමක්ද කියලා ඔප්පු කර තිබෙනවා. ඒ නිසා මේ දේශපාාලන සංස්කෘතිය වෙනස් කිරීම සඳහා පෙළගැසෙන්න කියලා ජනතාවට අපි ආරාධනා කරනවා.
මාධ්යවේදීන් නැගූ ප්රශ්නවලට පිළිතුරු ලබා දෙමින්.
අපේ ප්රතිපත්ති ප්රකාශනයේ ඉතාමත් පැහැදිලිව ඉදිරිපත් කර තිබෙන්නේ අමාත්යවරුන් සංඛ්යාව 25කට නොවැඩි වීමත් නියෝජ්ය අමාත්ය ධුර ඒ හා සමානව දීමත් පමණයි. රාජ්ය අමාත්ය ධුර වැනි එල්ලන ඒවා නොකළ යුතුයි. ආණ්ඩුක්රම ව්යවස්ථාවේ 19වැනි සංශෝධනය සකස් කරන අවස්ථාවේ අමාත්යවරුන් සහ නියෝජ්ය අමාත්යවරුන් පමණක් සිටිය යුතු බවට අපේ යෝජනා බාර දුන්නා. ඇමතිවරයාට සහාය වීම සඳහා නියෝජ්ය අමාත්යවරයෙක් ඉන්නවා. රාජ්ය අමාත්ය ධුර කියන්නේ කැබිනට් අමාත්යවරුන්ට ලැබෙන සියලු වරප්රසාද ලබාගන්නා අතිවිශාල මහජන මුදල් නාස්තියක්. මෙතනදී කරන්නේ ව්යවස්ථාවේ සඳහන් කර තිබෙන ඇමතිවරුන් 30කට වඩා පත්නොකළ යුතු බවට තිබෙන වගන්තියෙන් රිංගා යාමට යොදන උපක්රමයක්. ඒ වගේම ඉතාම විද්යාත්මක පදනමකින් විෂයයන් බෙදා ඒ ඒ විෂයයයන් වෙනුවෙන් නිපුණතාවයන් හැකියාව සහ දැනුම තිබෙන ඇමතිවරුන් පත්කළ යුතුයි. විශේෂයෙන් අමාත්යවරුන්ගේ වරප්රසාද ඉවත් කළ යුතුයි. ඇමතිවරුන්ට ලබාදෙන නිල නිවාස ඉවත්කරන්න ඕනෑ. ඇමතිවරුන් බොහොමයකට ලබාදී තිබෙන ඉංග්රීසීන් හැදූ පෞරාණික නිවාස අපි නම් සංචාරක නිකේතන බවට පත් කරනවා. ලෝකයේ සිටින ධනවත් සංචාරකයින් වෙනුවෙන් වෙන් කරනවා. ඇමතිවරුන්ට අඩු වියදම් වාහනයක් ලබා දෙනවා. විශාල වශයෙන් ඉන්ධන වියදම් වන වාහන ඉවත් කළ යුතුයි. භාණ්ඩාගාරයේ පතුළට සිඳී තිබෙන රටක් ගොඩගන්න පුළුවන් ඒ ආකාරයෙන්. මහ බැංකු අධිපති නන්දලාල් කියා තිබෙන්නේ විදෙස් සංචිත බින්දුවටම හිඳී ඇති බවයි.
பட்டினிக்கு எதிரான பெண்கள் என்றவகையிலேயே இன்று எமக்கு ஊடக சந்திப்பினை நடாத்த நேர்ந்துள்ளது. மிகையான பணவீக்க நிலைமைக்கு அப்பால்சென்ற மிகையான போசாக்கின்மை நிலைமை நாட்டில் நிலவுகின்றது. எமது நாட்டின் பிள்ளைகள், பெண்கள் வசிக்கின்ற சமையலறைக்கு வந்து பாருங்கள் என ஆட்சியாளர்களுக்கு நாங்கள் அழைப்பு விடுக்கிறோம். இன்றளவில் நாட்டுக்காக போராட்டத்திற்கு முனைப்பானவகையில் பங்களிப்புச் செய்தவர்கள் கைதுசெய்யப்பட்டு வருவது எமக்குத் தெரியும். ஜாக்கிரதையாக இருங்கள் என்றே சால்வை அரசாங்கத்தைப் போலவே கறுப்புக்கோட் அரசாங்கத்திற்கும் இது சம்பந்தமாக முதலில் கூறவேண்டியுள்ளது. கட்சி […]
பட்டினிக்கு எதிரான பெண்கள் என்றவகையிலேயே இன்று எமக்கு ஊடக சந்திப்பினை நடாத்த நேர்ந்துள்ளது. மிகையான பணவீக்க நிலைமைக்கு அப்பால்சென்ற மிகையான போசாக்கின்மை நிலைமை நாட்டில் நிலவுகின்றது. எமது நாட்டின் பிள்ளைகள், பெண்கள் வசிக்கின்ற சமையலறைக்கு வந்து பாருங்கள் என ஆட்சியாளர்களுக்கு நாங்கள் அழைப்பு விடுக்கிறோம். இன்றளவில் நாட்டுக்காக போராட்டத்திற்கு முனைப்பானவகையில் பங்களிப்புச் செய்தவர்கள் கைதுசெய்யப்பட்டு வருவது எமக்குத் தெரியும். ஜாக்கிரதையாக இருங்கள் என்றே சால்வை அரசாங்கத்தைப் போலவே கறுப்புக்கோட் அரசாங்கத்திற்கும் இது சம்பந்தமாக முதலில் கூறவேண்டியுள்ளது. கட்சி பேதமின்றி, இன சாதி பேதமின்றி நாட்டு மக்களுக்காக இடையறாத போராட்டம் மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்டு வருகின்றது. இளைஞர்களுடன் உரிமைகளுக்கான பெண்கள் அமைப்பும் கைகோர்த்துக்கொண்டு இடையறாத போராட்டத்திற்காக வீதியில் இறங்கத் தயார். அதனால் கலைஞர் தமித்தா அபேரத்ன, பல்கலைக்கழக மாணவர்கள் உள்ளிட்ட துன்புறுத்தப்பட்டு கைதுசெய்யப்பட்டுள்ளவர்களுடன் நாங்கள் கைகோர்த்துக் கொள்கிறோம். பெண்கள் என்றவகையில் வீதியில் இறங்கினால் இது முற்றுப்பெறாத போராட்டம்வரை தொடருமென்பதை வலியுறுத்துகிறோம். சால்வை அரசாங்கம் மற்றும் கறுப்புக்கோட் அரசாங்கம் ஆகிய இரண்டையும் ஒன்றாகத் தோற்கடித்திட நாங்கள் தயார்.
மிகையான பணவீக்கத்துடன் மிகையான போசாக்கின்மை நிலைமைக்கு எமது பிள்ளைகள் இலக்காகி உள்ளார்கள். சிறிய பிள்ளைகள் வடிகானில் விழுந்து இறக்கிறார்கள். அந்த பிள்ளைகளுக்காக பஸ் வண்டியொன்றை ஈடுபடுத்த தவறிய ஆட்சியாளர்கள் தமது வாகனமொன்றுக்கு 19 கோடி ரூபா சேதநட்டத்தை மதிப்பீடு செய்துள்ளார்கள். அத்தகைய சனாதிபதிகள் இருக்கின்ற நாட்டில் எமது பிள்ளைகள் போசாக்கினால் பாதிக்கப்பட்டு பாடசாலை செல்லவேண்டிய நிலையேற்பட்டுள்ளது. அதேவேளையில் காட்டு யானைகளின் தாக்குதலுக்கு இலக்காகி இறந்த பிள்ளைகள் பற்றியும் பதிவாகி உள்ளது. பிள்ளைகளை மிகையான போசாக்கின்மை நிலைமைக்கு ஆளாக்கிய சால்வை அரசாங்கமும் கறுப்புக்கோட் அரசாங்கமும் ஆகிய இரண்டையுமே தோற்கடித்திட பெண்கள் வீதியில் இறங்குவார்கள் என்பதை வலியுறுத்துகிறோம். சிறுவர் வைத்தியசாலையில் போசாக்கின்மை நிலைமைபற்றி விசாரித்தறிய அரசாங்கத்தின் சிறப்பறிஞர் குழுவொன்று போவதாக குறிப்பிடப்பட்டுள்ளது. அது நல்லது. ஆனால் இன்றளவில் உலக உணவு அமைப்பு வெளியிட்டிருப்பது ஒவ்வொரு 05 குடும்பங்களிலும் 04 குடும்பங்களுக்கு உணவு கிடைப்பதில்லை என்பதாகும். பாராளுமன்ற பெண் உறுப்பினர்கள் அந்த குற்றச்சாட்டினையும் தாய்மார்கள்மீது சுமத்தி அரசாங்கத்தை பாதுகாத்துக்கொள்ள செயலாற்றி வருவது எமக்குப் புலப்படுகின்றது. உணவு நெருக்கடி பற்றி பேசிக்கொண்டிருக்காமல் குற்றச்சாட்டினை முன்வைப்பவர்களை எமது சமையறைக்கு வருமாறு நாங்கள் அழைப்பு விடுக்கிறோம். அதைப்போலவே சிறப்பறிஞர் குழுவிற்கும் பெருந்தோட்டத்தின் லயன் அறைகளுக்கும் மீனவர் குடும்பங்களையும் கமக்காரர் குடும்பங்களையும் சேர்ந்த வீடுகளுக்கும் வந்து விசாரித்தறியுமாறு பெருமதிப்புடன் அழைப்பு விடுக்கிறோம். அப்போது மிகையான பணவீக்க நிலைமையையும் போசாக்கின்மை நிலைமையையும் கண்கூடாகவே பார்த்துக்கொள்ள முடியும்.
வற் வரி 8 வீதமாக இருக்கையில் ரூ. 30 அக இருந்த சிறிய பிஸ்கற் பெக்கெற் தற்போது ரூ. 120 ஆகி விட்டது. அதில் 15 வீதம் வரை அதிகரித்த வற் வரியும் சேர்ந்துவிட்டால் பிஸ்கற் மிகையான சுகபோக உணவாக மாறிவிடும். வற் என்பது ஒரு மறைமுகமான வரியாகும். அந்த வரிக்கு மேலும் வரிகளைச் சேர்த்திட அரசாங்கம் செயலாற்றி வருகின்றது. புதிய கறுப்புக்கோட் வரி “சமூகப் பாதுகாப்பு பங்களிப்பு வரி” என சேர்க்கப்படுகின்றது. மரத்தால் விழுந்தவனை 1000 மாடுகள் முட்டியதைப்போல். இந்த வரிக்காக இறக்குமதியின்போது, உற்பத்தியின்போது, விநியோகத்தின்போது மற்றும் சில்லறை வர்த்தகத்தின்போது என்றவகையில் தொடர் வரியொன்று 2.5 சதவீதத்தில் நான்கு தடவைகள் சேர்கின்றது. சிறிய பிள்ளைகளுக்கு ஒரு பக்கெற் பிஸ்கற் கொடுக்க முடியுமா? அத்தியாவசியமான அத்தனை பண்டங்கள் மீதும் கறுப்புக்கோட் அரசாங்கம் விரட்டிவிரட்டி வரி விதிக்கின்றது. இதற்கிணங்க பண்டங்களுக்கு 25 சதவீதம் வரையான புதிய வரி சேர்கின்றது. மிகையான பணவீக்கம் நிலவுகின்றதென இலங்கை மத்திய வங்கி வெளியிட்ட அறிவித்தல்களில் இருந்து தெளிவாகின்றது. ஓகத்து மாத இறுதியளவில் உணவுசார்ந்த பணவீக்கம் 93.7 சதவீதமாக அமைந்துள்ளது. நாளுக்குநாள் வருமானத்தை இழக்கின்ற மீனவர்கள், பெருந்தோட்டத்துறை மக்களால் எவ்விதத்திலும் இந்த பணவீக்கத்திற்கு ஈடுகொடுக்க முடியாது. வயது முதிர்ந்த பெற்றோர்கள்கூட வீதிகளில் இறங்கி பிச்சையேந்துகின்ற நிலைமை உருவாகி இருக்கின்றது. பிள்ளைகள் சுகவீனமுற்றால் மருந்து வாங்கிக் கொடுக்கக்கூட வழிகிடையாது.
அதைப்போலவே பெரும்பாலானவர்கள் வெளிப்படையாக பேசாத ரூ. 140 ஆக நிலவிய துப்பரவேற்பாட்டு துவாய் பக்கெற் ஒன்று ரூ. 500 ஐ விஞ்சிவிட்டது. இரண்டு மகள்மார்கள் அல்லது மூவர் இருக்கின்ற குடும்பமொன்றின் தாய்க்கும் மகள்மாருக்கும் துப்பரவேற்பாட்டு துவாய்களைக் கொள்வனவுசெய்ய குறைந்தபட்சம் ரூ. 2,000 மேலதிகமாக செலவாகின்றது. இது சம்பந்தமாக குடும்பத்திற்குள்ளேயும் திறந்த உரையாடல் இடம்பெறுவதில்லை. குறிப்பாக பாடசாலைப் பிள்ளைகளின் விளையாட்டு வைபவங்களுக்குச் செல்கின்றவேளையில் முறையான உணவு வழங்கப்பட முடியாது. அவர்களுக்கு ஒரு சோடி சப்பாத்து வாங்கிக்கொடுக்க முடியாது. ரூ. 1500 ஆக விளங்கிய ஒருசோடி சப்பாத்து தற்போது ரூ. 6000 ஐ விஞ்சிவிட்டது. விளையாட்டுக்கான பாதணி ரூ. 20.000 விஞ்சிவிட்டது. அதற்கிணங்க அரசாங்கத்தின் திருட்டுக்களின் சுமை பிள்ளைகள்மீது சுமத்தப்பட்டுள்ளது. குப்பை பசளைக் கப்பல்களுக்கு நட்டஈடு செலுத்துகிறார்கள். தாமதக் கப்பல் கட்டணமாக மில்லியன் கணக்கான டொலர்களை செலுத்துகிறார்கள். எமது பிள்ளைகளுக்கு உடுதுணியும் கிடைக்காத நிலைக்கு கறுப்புக்கோட் அரசாங்கம் செயலாற்றி வருகின்றது.
மக்கள் மீது சுமையை ஏற்றுகின்ற செயற்பாடுகளில் அரசாங்கம் தொடர்ந்தும் ஈடுபடுமாயின் போராட்டத்தை மேற்கொள்ள முன்னணி வகிக்க பெண்கள் தயார். அரசாங்கத்தின் செலவுகளை உயர்த்தி வருமானம் தேடிக்கொள்வதற்காக ரனில் எந்தவிதமான சமூகவியல் ரீதியான ஆய்வுமின்றி மதுபானங்களை விரிவாக்கத் தீர்மானித்துள்ளார். சேதனப் பசளை அரசியல் தீர்மானத்தினால் நட்டஈடு செலுத்தவேண்டிய நிலை மக்களுக்கே ஏற்பட்டது. அதைப்போலவே அரசாங்கத்தின் வருமானத்தை அதிகரிப்பதற்காக தற்போது அறிமுகஞ் செய்துள்ள மதுபான உரிமத் திட்டம் ரனில் விக்கிரமசிங்கவின் கையொப்பத்துடன் ஓகத்து 28 ஆந் திகதி அறிமுகஞ் செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளது. இதனால் இடம்பெறுகின்ற சமூக நெருக்கடி பற்றி குடும்பத்திற்கு ஏற்படுகின்ற தாக்கம் பற்றி எந்தவிதமான கரிசனையும் அவருக்கு கிடையாது. ரனில் விக்கிரமசிங்கவின் மத்திய வங்கியின் திருடர்களைப் போலவே சாராய உற்பத்தி நண்பர்களினதும் உரிமத் தடை நீக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. அதன் மூலமாக எமது நாட்டின் பிள்ளைகளுக்கு நேர்ந்துள்ள சேதத்தை கறுப்புக்கோட் அரசாங்கம் ஒருபோதுமே கருத்திற் கொள்வதில்லை. அதனால் எமது நாட்டின் ஆட்சியை மாற்றுகின்ற போராட்டத்திற்கு தயாராகுமாறு எமது நாட்டின் பெண்களிடம் கேட்டுக்கொள்கிறேன். அரசாங்கம் இந்த குரலுக்கு செவிசாய்க்காவிட்டால் அரசாங்கத்தை வீட்டுக்கு அனுப்பிவைக்கின்ற போராட்டத்தில் பெண்கள் முன்னணி வகிப்பார்கள் என்பதை வலியுறுத்துகிறோம்.
நாளுக்கு நாள் பேசப்பட்டு வருகின்ற, அதிகரித்து வருகின்ற பிரச்சினைகளால் எமது வாழ்க்கையின் வனப்பு இல்லாமல் போயுள்ளதென்றே இத்தருணத்தில் எனது அன்புக்குரிய இலங்கையர்களுக்கு கூறவேண்டி உள்ளது. வயோதிப பருவம், சிறுவர் பருவம் மற்றும் வாலிபப் பருவம் என வாழக்கையின் வனப்பினை பிரித்துப்பார்க்க முடியாது. ஒவ்வொரு மனிதனதும் வாழ்க்கை வனப்புமிக்கதாக அமைதல் வேண்டும். இலங்கையர்கள் என்றவகையில் எமது வனப்புமிக்க வாழ்க்கைக்கு என்ன நேர்ந்தது? சிறுவர் பருவத்தில் யுத்தத்துடன் வாழவேண்டி ஏற்பட்டது. அதன்பின்னர் இனவாத பிரிவினை வந்தது. அதன் பின்னர் கொரோனாவுடன் வாழநேர்ந்தது. இப்போது எங்களுக்கு என்ன நேர்ந்துள்ளது? நாட்டின் ஆட்சியாளர்கள் எடுக்கின்ற திரிபடைந்த பொருளாதார, அரசியல், சமூகத் தீர்மானங்கள், முடிவுகள் காரணமாக பலவிதமான போராட்டங்களில் ஈடுபடவேண்டியநிலை மக்களுக்கு ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது. குறிப்பாக மிகையான பணவீக்கத்துடன் போராடவேண்டி நேர்ந்துள்ளது. அப்படியானால் எமது வனப்புமிகு வாழ்க்கை எங்கே? அதனை இல்லாதொழித்தவர்யார்? அதனை இல்லாதொழித்தவர்கள் நாட்டின் ஆட்சியாளர்களே. நியாயமான ஆட்சியைக் கொண்டுவருவதாகக் கூறியே ஆதிகாரத்தைப் பெற்றார்கள். 56 சதவீதமான பெண்கள் வாக்குகளை அளித்து தமது குடும்பத்துடன் வனப்புமிகு வாழ்க்கையைக் கழிப்பதற்காகவே வாக்குகளை அளித்தார்கள். ஆனால் இந்த அனைவருக்கும் அந்த வனப்பினை அனுபவிக்க முடியவில்லை. போராட்டத்தில் ஈடுபட்டுள்ள இளைஞர்களை தூக்கிக்கொண்டு போகிறார்கள். பாரதூரமான வாழ்க்கைப் போராட்டத்தில் ஈடுபட்டுள்ள பெண்கள் பாதிக்கப்பட்டு பெருமூச்சுவிட்டுக்கொண்டு பொழுதினைக் கழிக்கவேண்டி நேர்ந்துள்ளது. இத்தகைய ஆட்சி எமக்கு எதற்காக? நாமனைவரும் ஒன்றுசேர்ந்து சட்டத்தின் நியாயத்துடன் சமூக நீதியுடன் எமது விருப்பத்தின்படி வாழவேண்டும். இந்த அரசாங்கத்திற்கு வாக்களித்த ஒவ்வொரு பெண்ணினதும் எதிர்பார்ப்பாக அமைந்தது அதுவாகும். எனவே அன்புச் சகோதரிகளை ஆழமாகச் சிந்திக்குமாறு அழைப்பு விடுக்கிறோம்.
தொழில் புரிகின்ற ஒரு பெண் பெறுகின்ற சம்பளத்தைக்கொண்டு பஸ் கட்டணம், உணவுவேளையை தயாரித்துக் கொள்ளல், ஆடை அணிகளைப் பெற்றுக்கொள்ளல் முதலியவற்றைச் செய்யமுடியாது. எமக்கு எஞ்சுவது என்ன? சிறிய பருவத்தில் கற்றுக்கொண்ட வறுமையின் விஷச் சக்கரத்திற்கு மீண்டும்மீண்டும் இரையாகி வருகிறோம். இதிலிருந்து விடுபட சிறிய அர்ப்பணிப்பினைச் செய்வோம். அதற்காக நீங்கள் மாறவேண்டுமென அழைப்பு விடுக்கிறோம். அந்த மாற்றத்தின் பெறுபேறுகளை உங்களின் பிள்ளைகளுக்கும் பெற்றுக்கொடுங்கள். உங்கள் வாழ்க்கையையும் வனப்புமிக்கதாக அமைத்துக் கொள்ளுங்கள். இந்த நாடு வனப்புமிக்கது. எமது நாட்டை வனப்புமிக்கதாக்குவதற்கான வாய்ப்புகள் அவசியமாகும். அரசாங்கங்களில் அதிகாரத்தில் இருப்பவர்கள். தமதும் தமது குடும்பங்களின் சகபாடிகளினதும் நலன்கருதி அரசியல்ரீதியான முடிவுகளை எடுத்து நாட்டின் பல்லாயிரக்கணக்கான மக்களை வதைப்பார்களாயின் அத்தகைய ஆட்சியொன்று எமக்கு அவசியமா? உணவுரீதியான பாதுகாப்பின்மை, சுகாதாரரீதியான பாதுகாப்பின்மை, வயது முதிர்ந்தவர்கள் மாத்திரமல்ல இளைஞர்களும் பாதுகாப்பற்ற நிலையிலேயே இருக்கிறார்கள். இப்படிப்பட்ட வாழ்க்கையல்ல கௌரவமான வாழ்க்கையைக் கழித்திடுவதற்கான தீர்மானங்களை மேற்கொள்வது பற்றி நாங்கள் சிந்திக்கவேண்டும். சதாகாலமும் இவ்வாறு உயிர் வாழ்வதா இன்றேல் போராட்டம் நடாத்தி உரிமைகளை வென்றெடுத்து அனைத்து மக்களையும் இந்த நிலைமையில் இருந்து மீட்டெடுப்பதா? அனைத்து மதநிலையங்களிலும் இந்த பிரச்சினையை மேலோங்கச் செய்விக்க வேண்டுமென நான் நினைக்கிறேன். அது சம்பந்தமாக கவனஞ் செலுத்துமாறு அனைத்து மதகுருமார்களிடமும் கேட்டுக்கொள்கிறோம். அப்படி இல்லாவிட்டமால் மனிதர்களிடமிருந்து மனிதம் இல்லாதொழிகின்ற நிலைமை உருவாகும்
இந்த ஊடக சந்திப்பில் அகில இலங்கை பெருந்தோட்டத் தொழிலாளர் சங்கத்தின் சகோதரி ஆர். கிருஷனா, உரிமைகளுக்கான பெண்கள் அமைப்பின் நிறைவேற்றுக்குழு உறுப்பினர் திருமதி சுபாஷினி விக்கிரமசிங்கவும் பங்கேற்றார்.
Today we have to hold the press conference as women against famine. There is a situation of hyper-malnutrition in the country which is beyond a hyper-inflation situation. I invite the rulers to come to the kitchen where children and women live in our country. We know that people who actively participate in the aragalaya are being […]
Today we have to hold the press conference as women against famine. There is a situation of hyper-malnutrition in the country which is beyond a hyper-inflation situation. I invite the rulers to come to the kitchen where children and women live in our country. We know that people who actively participate in the aragalaya are being arrested currently. In this regard, the first thing to say to the sataka government and the black coat government is to be careful. A never ending aragalaya is being carried out for the people of the country regardless of party, ethnic group, or caste. The women’s organization is ready to join hands with the youth for their rights and take to the streets for the unstoppable aragalaya. That is why we are joining hands with the artist Damita Abeyratne, the university students, and the people who have been tortured and arrested. It is emphasized that if women come out, it will lead to an endless aragalaya. Together we are ready to defeat both the sataka government and the black coat government.
Along with hyperinflation, our children have become malnourished. Little children fall into drains and die. The politicians who failed to give a bus for those children have estimated 190 million Rupees as damages to their vehicles. In a country with such presidents, our children have to go to school suffering from malnutrition. There are also reports of children who have died after being attacked by elephants. It is emphasized that women will take to the streets to defeat both the sataka government and the black coat government, which have put the children in a state of extreme malnutrition. It is said that a government expert team is going to check the malnutrition situation in the children’s hospital. it is good. But now the World Food Organization has revealed that 04 out of every 05 families lack food. We can see that the members of the parliament are working to protect the government by making that accusation against the mothers. We invite those who do not talk about the food crisis to come to our kitchen. The expert team is also respectfully invited to come and inspect the plantation line-rooms, fishing families, and houses belonging to farming families. Then you can see the hyperinflation and malnutrition with your own eyes.
A small packet of biscuits, which was Rs. 30 while VAT was 8% now costs Rs. 120. When the VAT increased to 15% is also added to this price, biscuits become a super luxury food. VAT is an indirect tax. The government is working to add more taxes to that tax. A new black coat tax called ‘Social Security Contribution Tax’ is added. For this tax, a compound tax will be added 2.5% each at importation, production, distribution, and retail trade four times. Can the little child be given a packet of biscuits? The black coat government imposes taxes on every essential commodity. Thus, about 25% new taxes will be added to the goods. It is clear from the announcements issued by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka that there is hyperinflation. At the end of August, food inflation reached 93.7%. This economy is not sustainable at all for the fishermen and plantation people who are losing their income day by day. A situation has arisen where even old parents have to go out to beg alone. If the children get sick, there is no way to even buy medicine.
Moreover, although many did not speak openly, a packet of sanitary towels, which cost Rs. 140 earlier has now increased up to Rs. 500. In a family with two or three daughters, sanitary napkins for both mothers and daughters will at least cost extra Rs. 2000. The family does not talk openly about this. Proper food cannot be provided especially when school children go to sports events. They cannot buy a pair of shoes. A pair of shoes which cost Rs. 1500 shoes have exceeded Rs. 6000 now. Sports Shoes are all over Rs. 20,000. Thus, the burden of the government’s thefts has been left on the children. Fertilizer ships are compensated. Millions of dollars are paid in late shipping fees. The black coat government is dealing with the situation where our children are deprived of clothing.
If the government is trying further to pile up the burden on the shoulders of the public, women are ready to come to the forefront of the aragalaya. Ranil Wickremesinghe has decided to spread alcohol without any sociological survey to increase the government’s expenses and find income. The people of the country had to pay for the political decision on organic fertilizers. Also, the liquor license system that has been introduced to increase the government’s revenue was introduced on July 28th by the signature of Ranil Wickremesinghe. He has no concern about the social crisis caused by this and the effect on the family. Ranil Wickremesinghe’s Central Bank has lifted the license ban on thieves and liquor production friends. The black coat government does not care about the harm caused to the children of our country by this. Because of this, we are asking the women of our country to prepare for the struggle to change the governance of our country. If the government does not listen to this voice, it is emphasized that women will take the lead in the struggle to send the government home.
What I have to say to my dear fellow Sri Lankans is that the beauty of our lives is vanishing as the issues and problems keep increasing day by day. The beauty of life cannot be separated as we identify different stages of life: childhood, adulthood, and old age. Everybody’s life should be beautiful. What happened to our beautiful life as Sri Lankans? As children, we had to live with the war. Then came the racial divide. After that, we had to live with Corona. What has happened to us now? The people have had to fight in various ways due to the distorted economic, political, and social decisions taken by the rulers of the country. Especially people have to fight hyperinflation. Then where is our beautiful life? Who destroyed it? The rulers of the country destroyed it. They came to power saying that they would bring a fair rule. 56% of women voted for and elected rulers to enjoy a beautiful life with their families. But all those people have not been able to enjoy that beauty. The youth in the aragalaya are being taken away. Women who are in a serious life struggle have to spend their days being battered by economic burdens. We should all come together and live according to our will with justice in law and social justice. That was the hope of every woman who voted for this government. Therefore, I invite my dear sisters to think deeply.
It is not possible to pay the bus fare, prepare meals and get clothes from the salary earned by a working woman. What are we left with? Repeatedly fall prey to the vicious cycle of poverty learned in childhood. Let’s make a little sacrifice to get rid of this. For that, you are invited to change. Give the results of that change to your children. Make your life beautiful too. This country is beautiful. We need opportunities to make our lives beautiful. Do we need this type of governance if the people in power in the government have taken political decisions for the benefit of themselves and their family’s cronies and have condemned the people to enjoy the comfort of the country? Food insecurity, health insecurity, and not only young children, pregnant mothers, and elderly people but also young people have become insecure. We should think about making political decisions for living a dignified human life, not this kind of life. Are we going to live life like this? If not, are we going to save all citizens by joining the aragalaya to demand our rights? I think all religious centres should raise this issue. All priests are requested to pay attention to this matter. Otherwise, there will be a time when all citizens experience a society with no humanity.
අද අපිට මාධ්ය හමුව පවත්වන්න සිදුවී තිබෙන්නේ සාගතයට එරෙහි කාන්තාවෝ හැටියටයි. අධි උද්ධමන තත්වයකට එහා ගිය අධි මන්දපෝෂණ තත්වයක් රටේ තිබෙනවා. අපේ රටේ දරුවෝ, කාන්තාවෝ ජීවත් වන කුස්සියට එන්න කියලා පාලකයන්ට මම ආරාධනා කරනවා. මේ වන විට රට වෙනුවෙන් සක්රීයව අරගලයට දායකත්වය දුන් පිරිස් අත්අඩංගවට ගනිමින් ඉන්න බව අපි දන්නවා. සාටක ආණ්ඩුවට වගේම කළු කෝට් […]
අද අපිට මාධ්ය හමුව පවත්වන්න සිදුවී තිබෙන්නේ සාගතයට එරෙහි කාන්තාවෝ හැටියටයි. අධි උද්ධමන තත්වයකට එහා ගිය අධි මන්දපෝෂණ තත්වයක් රටේ තිබෙනවා. අපේ රටේ දරුවෝ, කාන්තාවෝ ජීවත් වන කුස්සියට එන්න කියලා පාලකයන්ට මම ආරාධනා කරනවා. මේ වන විට රට වෙනුවෙන් සක්රීයව අරගලයට දායකත්වය දුන් පිරිස් අත්අඩංගවට ගනිමින් ඉන්න බව අපි දන්නවා. සාටක ආණ්ඩුවට වගේම කළු කෝට් ආණ්ඩුවටත් ඒ සම්බන්ධයෙන් මුලින්ම කියන්න තියෙන්නේ පරෙස්සම් වෙන්න කියලා. පක්ෂ භේදයෙන් තොරව, ජාති කුල භේදයෙන් තොරව රටේ ජනතාව වෙනුවෙන් නොනවතින අරගලයක් ගෙන යනවා. තරුණ පිරිස් එක්ක අයිතීන් උදෙසා කාන්තාවෝ සංවිධානයත් අත්වැල් බැඳගෙන නොනවතින අරගලයට පාරට බහින්න සූදානම්. ඒ නිසා දමිතා අබේරත්න කලා ශිල්පිනිය, විශ්වවිද්යාල ශිෂ්යයන්, ශිෂ්යාවන්, ඇතුළු හිංසාවට පත්කර අත්අඩංගුවට ගෙන සිටින පිරිස් එක්ක අපි අත්වැල් බැඳගන්නවා. කාන්තාවෝ එළියට බැස්සොත් නොනවතින අරගලයක් දක්වා යන බව අවධාරණය කරනවා. සාටක ආණ්ඩුවත් කළු කෝට් ආණ්ඩුවත් දෙගොල්ලම එකට පරද්දන්න අපි සූදානම්.
අධි උද්ධමනයත් එක්කම අධි මන්දපෝෂණ තත්වයකට අපේ දරුවන් පත්වෙලා. පුංචි දරුවෝ කානුවලට වැටිලා මරණයට පත්වෙනවා. ඒ දරුවන් වෙනුවෙන් බස් රථයක් යොදවන්න අපොහොසත් පාලකයෝ තමන්ගේ වාහනයකට රුපියල් කෝටි 19ක අලාභහානි තක්සේරු කර ගෙන තිබෙනවා. එවැනි ජනාධිපතිවරු ඉන්න රටක අපේ දරුවන්ට මන්දපෝෂණයෙන් පෙළෙමින් පාසල් යන්න සිදුවී තිබෙනවා. ඒ අතර වන අලි ප්රහාරයකට ලක්වී මියගිය දරුවෝ ගැනත් වාර්තා වෙනවා. දරුවෝ අධි මන්දපෝෂණ තත්වයකට පත්කර තිබෙන සාටක ආණ්ඩුවත් කළු කෝට් ආණ්ඩුවත් දෙගොල්ලම පරද්දන්න කාන්තාවෝ පාරට බහින බව අවධාරණය කරනවා. ළමා රෝහලේ මන්දපෝෂණය තත්වය ගැන පරීක්ෂා කරන්න ආණ්ඩුවේ විශේෂඥ කණ්ඩායමක් යන බව සඳහන් වෙනවා. ඒක හොඳයි. නමුත් මේ වනවිට ලෝක ආහාර සංවිධානය හෙළි කර තිබෙන්නේ සෑම පවුල් 05කින් 04කටම ආහාර මඟහැරෙන බවයි. පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ මන්ත්රීවරියන් ඒ චෝදනාවත් අම්මලාට එල්ල කර ආණ්ඩුව රැක ගන්න ක්රියාකරන බව අපිට පේනවා. ආහාර අර්බුදය ගැන කතා නොකර චෝදනා කරන අයට අපි ආරාධනා කරනවා අපේ කුස්සියට එන්න කියලා. ඒ වගේම විශේෂඥ කණ්ඩායමටත් වතුකරයේ ලයින්වලට, ධීවර පවුල්වලට, ගොවි පවුල්වලට අයත් ගෙවල්වලටත් ඇවිත් පරීක්ෂා කරන ලෙස ගෞරවයෙන් ආරාධනා කරනවා. එතකොට අධි උද්ධමන තත්වයත් මන්දපෝෂණ තත්වයත් දෑසින්ම දැකගන්න පුළුවවන්.
වැට් බද්ද 8%ක්ව තිබියෙදී රුපියල් 30ට තිබුණු පුංචි බිස්කට් පැකට් එකක් දැන් රු. 120ක් වී තිබෙනවා. ඊට 15%ක් දක්වා වැඩිකළ වැට් බද්දත් එකතු වුණාම බිස්කට් අධි සුඛෝපභෝගී ආහාරයක් බවට පත්වෙනවා. වැට් කියන්නේ වක්ර බද්දක්. ඒ බද්දට තවත් බදු එකතු කරන්න ආණ්ඩුව කටයුතු කරනවා. අලුත් කළුකෝට් බද්දක් ‘සමාජ ආරක්ෂණ දායකත්ව බද්ද’ කියලා එකතු කරනවා. ගහෙන් වැටුණු මිනිහාට ගොන්නු 1000ක් අනිනවා වගේ. මේ බද්ද වෙනුවෙන් ආනයනයේදී, නිෂ්පාදනයේදී, බෙදාහැරීමේදී සහ සිල්ලර වෙළඳාමේදී වශයෙන් වැල් බද්දක් 2.5% බැගින් හතර වතාවක් එකතු වෙනවා. පුංචි දරුවාට බිස්කට් පැකට් එකක් දෙන්න පුළුවන් වෙයිද? අත්යවශ්ය හැම භාණ්ඩයකටම කළු කෝට් ආණ්ඩුව පන්න පන්නා බදු ගහනවා. මේ අනුව භාණ්ඩවලට 25%ක් පමණ අලුත් බදු ප්රමාණයක් එකතු වෙනවා. අධි උද්ධමනයක් තිබෙන බව ශ්රී ලංකා මහ බැංකුව නිකුත් කළ නිවේදනවලින් පැහැදිලි වෙනවා. අගෝස්තු මාසය අවසන් වෙද්දී ආහාර උද්ධමනය 93.7%ක් වී තිබෙනවා. දවසින් දවස ආදායම් අහිමි වන ධීවර, වතුකරයේ ජනතාවට මේ ආර්ථිකය කිසිසේත්ම ඔරොත්තු දෙන්නේ නැහැ. වයසක දෙමාපියන්ට පවා තනි තනිව පාරට ගිහින් සිඟා කෑමට සිදුවන තත්වයක් ඇතිවී තිබෙනවා. දරුවෝ අසනීප වුණොත් බෙහෙතක් අරන් දෙන්නවත් විදිහක් නැහැ.
ඒ වගේම බොහෝ දෙනෙක් එළිපිට කතා නොකළාට රු. 140ට තිබුණු සනීපාරක්ෂක තුවා පැකට් එකක් රු. 500 ඉක්මවලා. දියණියන් දෙදෙනෙක් හෝ තුන් දෙනෙක් ඉන්න පවුලක අම්මලාටත් දුවලටත් සනීපාරක්ෂක තුවා ගන්න අඩුම ගානේ රු. 2000ක අමතර වියදමක් යනවා. මේ සම්බන්ධයෙන් පවුල ඇතුළෙත් විවෘතවත් කතා කරන්නේ නැහැ. විශේෂයෙන්ම පාසැල් දරුවන්ගේ ක්රීඩා උත්සවවලට යන අවස්ථාවලකදී නිසි ආහාරයක් ලබාදෙන්න බැහැ. ඔවුන්ට සපත්තු කුට්ටමක් අරන් දෙන්න බැහැ. රු. 1500ට තිබුණු සපත්තු කුට්ටම අද රු. 6000 ඉක්මවලා. ක්රීඩා සපත්තු රු. 20,000 ඉක්මවලා. මේ අනුව ආණ්ඩුවේ හොරකම්වල බර දරුවෝ පිටත් පටවා තිබෙනවා. කුණු පොහොර නැව්වලට වන්දි දෙනවා. ප්රමාද නැව් ගාස්තු හැටියට ඩොලර් මිලියන ගණන් ගෙවනවා. අපේ දරුවන්ට ඇඳි වතත් නැති කරන තත්වයට කළු කෝට් ආණ්ඩුව කටයුතු කරනවා.
ජනතාව මත බර පටවන ක්රියාමාර්ගවලට ආණ්ඩුව තවදුරටත් යොමු වෙනවා නම් අරගල කරන්න පෙරමුණ ගන්න කාන්තාවන් සූදානම්. ආණ්ඩුවේ වියදම් ඉහළ දමා ආදායම් හොයන්න රනිල් වික්රමසිංහ කිසිදු සමාජ විද්යාත්මක සමීක්ෂණයක් නැතිව මත්පැන් ව්යාප්ත කරන්න තීන්දුවක් ගෙන තිබෙනවා. කාබනික පොහොර දේශපාලන තීන්දුවෙන් වන්දි ගෙවන්න වුණේ රටේ ජනතාවට. එවගේම ආණඩුවේ ආදායම් වැඩි කරගන්න දැන් හඳුන්වා දී තිබෙන මත්පැන් බලපත්ර ක්රමය රනිල් වික්රමසිංහගේ අත්සනින්ම ජූලි 28වැනිදා හඳුන්වා දීලා. මෙයින් සිදුවන සමාජයීය අර්බුද පිළිබඳව, පවුලට සිදුවන බලපෑම ගැන කිසිදු තැකීමක් ඔහුට නැහැ. රනිල් වික්රමසිංහගේ මහ බැංකුවේ හොරු වගේම අරක්කු නිෂ්පාදන යාළුවන්ගේ බලපත්ර තහනම ඉවත් කර තිබෙනවා. මේ මගින් අපේ රටේ දරුවන්ට වන හානිය කළු කෝට් ආණඩුව කිසිසේත් සලන්නේ නැහැ. මේ නිසා අපේ රටේ පාලනය වෙනස් කිරීමේ අරගලයට සූදානම් වෙන්න කියලා අපේ රටේ කාන්තාවන්ගෙන් ඉල්ලා සිටිනවා. ආණ්ඩුව මේ හඬට කන් නොදෙනවානම් ආණ්ඩුව ගෙදර යවන අරගලයට කාන්තාවන් පෙරමුණ ගන්නා බව අවධාරණය කරනවා.
මේ අවස්ථාවේ මා ප්රියාදර ශ්රී ලාංකිකයන්ට කියන්න තියෙන්නේ දවසින් දවස කතා කරන, වැඩිවන ප්රශ්නවලින් අපේ ජීවිතයේ සුන්දරත්වය නැතිවී තිබෙන බවයි. වයස් කාලය, ළමා කාලය සහ තරුණ කාලය කියලා ජීවිතයේ සුන්දරත්වය වෙනස් කරන්න බැහැ. හැම මනුෂ්යයකුගේම ජීවිතය සුන්දර වෙන්න ඕනෑ. ශ්රී ලාංකිකයින් හැටියට අපේ සුන්දර ජීවිතයට මොකද වුණේ? ළමා කාලයේදී යුද්ධයත් එක්ක ජීවත් වෙන්න වුණා. ඊට පස්සේ ජාතිවාදී බෙදීමක් ආවා. ඊට පස්සේ කොරෝනා සමග ජීවත් වෙන්න සිද්ධ වුණා. දැන් අපිට මොකද වෙලා තියෙන්නේ? රටේ පාලකයන් ගන්නා විකෘති ආර්ථික, දේශපාලන, සමාජ තීන්දු, තීරණ නිසා විවිධාකාරයේ සටන් කරන්න ජනතාවට සිදුවී තිබෙනවා. විශේෂයෙන්ම අධි උද්ධමනයත් සමග සටන් කරන්න සිදුවී තිබෙනවා. එතකොට අපේ සුන්දර ජීවිතය කෝ? කවුද ඒක නැති කළේ ? ඒක නැති කළේ රටේ පාලකයන්. බලය ගත්තේ සාධාරණ පාලනයක් ගේනවා කියලා. 56%ක් කාන්තාවන් ඡන්දය පාවිච්චි කරලා පාලකයන් පත්කර ගත්තේ තමන්ගේ පවුල සමග සුන්දර ජීවිතයක් විඳින්න. නමුත් ඒ සියලු දෙනාට ඒ සුන්දරත්වය විඳින්න බැරිවී තිබෙනවා. අරගලය කරන තරුණ ළමයින්ව කුදලාගෙන යනවා. බරපතළ ජීවන අරගලයක යෙදී සිටින කාන්තාවන්ට බැටකමින් හූල්ලමින් දවස ගෙවන්න සිදුවී තිබෙනවා. මේ වගේ පාලනයක් අපට මොකටද? අපි හැමෝම එකතු වී නීතියේ සාධාරණයෙන් යුක්තව, සමාජ සාධාරණත්වයෙන් යුක්තව අපේ කැමැත්ත අනුව ජීවත් වෙන්න ඕනෑ. මේ ආණ්ඩුවට ඡන්දය දුන් හැම කාන්තාවකගේම බලාපොරොත්තුව වුණේ ඒකයි. ඒ නිසා මා දයාබර සහෝදරියන් ගැඹුරින් හිතන්න කියලා ආරාධනා කරනවා.
රැකියාවක් කරන කාන්තාවක් ලබා ගන්නා වැටුපෙන් බස් ගාස්තු ගෙවීම, කෑම වේල සකස්කර ගැනීම, ඇඳුම් පැළඳුම් ලබා ගැනීම කරගත නොහැකියි. අපිට ඉතුරු වෙන්නේ මොනවාද? කුඩා කාලයේ ඉගෙන ගත් දරිද්රතාවයේ විෂම චක්රයට නැවත නැවත ගොදුරු වෙනවා. මෙයින් මිදෙන්න පොඩි කැපකිරීමක් කරමු. ඒ සඳහා ඔබ වෙනස් වෙන්න කියලා ආරාධනා කරනවා. ඒ වෙනසේ ප්රතිඵල ඔබේ දරුවන්ටත් ලබා දෙන්න. ඔබේ ජීවිතයත් සුන්දර කර ගන්න. මේ රට සුන්දරයි. අපේ ජීවිත සුන්දර කර ගන්න අවස්ථාවන් අවශ්යයි. ආණ්ඩුවල බලයේ ඉන්න අය තමන්ගේ සහ තමන්ගේ පවුල්වල ගජ මිත්රයන්ගේ වාසිය තකා දේශපාලන තීන්දු-තීරණ අරගෙන රටේ සුවහසක් ජනතාව විඳවීමට හෙළා තිබෙනවා නම් මෙවැනි පාලනයක් අපට අවශ්යද? ආහාරමය අනාරක්ෂිත බව, සෞඛ්යමය අනාරක්ෂිත බව වගේම කුඩා ළමුන්, ගර්භණී මව්වරුන්, වයස්ගත උදවිය පමණක් නොවෙයි තරුණයින් පවා අනාරක්ෂිත බවට පත්වී තිබෙනවා. මෙවැනි ජීවිතයක් නොවෙයි ගෞරවනීය මනුෂ්ය ජීවිතයක් ගත කිරීම වෙනුවෙන් දේශපාලන තීන්දු-තීරණ ගන්න අපි කල්පනා කළ යුතුයි. හැමදාමත් මේ විදිහට ජීවත් වෙනවාද, නැත්නම් අරගල කරලා අයිතිවාසිකම් ලබාගෙන සියලු ජනතාව මේ තත්වයෙන් මුදා ගන්නවාද? සියලුම ආගම් මධ්යස්ථානවලින් මේ ප්රශ්නය මතු කරන්න ඕනෑ කියලා මම හිතනවා. මේ සම්බන්ධයෙන් අවධානය යොමු කරන්න කියලා සියලු පූජකතුමන්ලාගෙන් ඉල්ලා සිටිනවා. එහෙම නැත්නම් මිනිස්සුන්ට මනුෂ්යත්වය නැති තත්වයක් උදා වේවි.
මෙම මාධ්ය හමුවේදී සමස්ත ලංකා වතු කම්කරු සංගමයේ ආර්. ක්රිෂ්නා සහෝදරිය දෙමළ බසින් අදහස් දැක්වූවාය.
මෙම අවස්ථාවට අයිතීන් උදෙසා කාන්තාවෝ සංවිධානයේ විධායක සභික ප්රභාෂිනී වික්රමසිංහ මහත්මියද සහභාගි වූවාය.
In this press conference, we expect to discuss existing problems and solutions as the Small and Medium Scale Entrepreneurship Union of National People’s Power. Although our country’s small and medium-scale industries are neglected, their contribution to the economy is significant both at a global and a domestic level. This industry accounts for more than 80% […]
In this press conference, we expect to discuss existing problems and solutions as the Small and Medium Scale Entrepreneurship Union of National People’s Power. Although our country’s small and medium-scale industries are neglected, their contribution to the economy is significant both at a global and a domestic level. This industry accounts for more than 80% of the total business sector. This sector employs roughly half of the workforce. However, given the magnitude of the current crisis, the government is not intervening. Small and medium-scale business owners are neglected as individuals. In the current situation, only fraudulent actors with close ties to the government receive assistance. There is no mention of small and medium-scale businesses in the presented interim budget. Instead, steps have been taken to maintain political agendas while spending on defense and providing meager relief to the public. If the current trend continues, small and medium-scale businesses will collapse completely. It has an even greater negative impact on the economy.
These industrialists can no longer work in this field because of the current situation. Exporters are unable to import raw materials. Imported raw materials are expensive. Production costs have risen exponentially. The market has a problem. Financial assistance, which is one of the two main aspects affecting this sector, is at an extremely low level. Even though these businesses have spread as sole proprietorships, joint ventures, and corporations, no ease of doing business has been created for them. It is amidst the struggles that they have to continue this. You are in the field because of your own will and ability, but you are having a difficult time continuing it. If the government does not intervene in this situation, the businesses will close, and the existing employment in this field will turn into unemployment. Therefore, the entrepreneurs approached government agencies, discussed with the government, and requested solutions. However, this issue has not been resolved individually. Even though it has become the backbone of the entire economy, and even if individual people’s questions are answered, the country’s overall economy will not improve. As a result, we, the Small and Medium Entrepreneurship Union of National People’s Power, believe that a joint and collaborative effort should be made to develop the country’s economy. There is no intention of converting those who gather for this into our members or voters. What we ask is that you delegate authority to us to lead it under a specific program. We invite you to put aside your political or other ties and get involved directly under our leadership in a sustainable policy to help our economy recover.
I am going to present some facts representing small and medium entrepreneurs in the export sector. I am working hard to get their products into the international market. The scarcity of raw materials is one of the most serious issues they are currently facing. They are currently in the process of closing their businesses and cannot even be found. Capital constraints, a scarcity of raw materials, and skyrocketing raw material prices are issues. Several entrepreneurs who were present a year ago have completely shut down their operations. The high prices of dyes in the batik industry, for example, cannot be tolerated.
There is a situation in which high-quality raw materials used in the handicraft industry cannot be imported into Sri Lanka. Raw materials imported from China and India in limited quantities are sold at exorbitant prices. This is an untenable situation for small business owners. They are now forced to produce subpar products. However, these cannot be introduced into the highly competitive international market. Exports of dehydrated vegetables and fruits, on the other hand, have come to a halt. Even the kerosene crisis has had a devastating impact on small-scale entrepreneurs.
The packaging facilities needed by small producers are costly now. We have to spend a high price on the packaging which cannot be sold in the international market. We offer good quality products to the world market amidst huge competition with countries like India, Vietnam, Thailand, and China. Day-to-day changes in prices greatly affect the sale of goods. Shortage of raw materials and day-to-day fluctuations in prices are serious problems in the export market. Food products made using eggs are an example. There should be a fixed price in the international market for at least three months, which is difficult to maintain today. Also, the lack of containers, reduced arrival of ships, very high charges in air transport, and limited flights are very serious. Food spoils during export. Due to this, we are under severe pressure. All the exporters have been affected by these conditions. Because Sri Lanka needs dollars, we have to take our exports to the international level, therefore we are working despite all the obstacles. But the biggest problem is the lack of policy by the government. I tell everyone to stand in a place where these situations can be solved in the long run.
Entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka are identified under three main sectors namely agriculture, industry, and services. Inputs, intermediate goods, and spare parts and tools, especially in the agricultural and industrial sectors, are 100% dependent on imports. For example, in the automobile industry, no material is produced in our country for maintenance and repair services. In the field of construction, aluminum, other accessories, iron, etc. are imported. In this environment, import restrictions have been imposed on non-essential goods. The industrial sector has a large number of semi-finished, finished, and service assembly, repair, and maintenance enterprises. Paying salaries to the employees of those companies has become a major issue.
We suggest that instead of working individually for their success and development, a strong union of entrepreneurs should be formed. It is essential. The empowerment of these businesses has not been taken under a national program. Small-scale businesses have between one and ten employees, small-scale businesses have less than 50 employees and medium-scale businesses have less than 200 employees. When considering their situation, about 53% of the total employment in the country is being employed, and there is a loss of jobs due to the shortage of raw materials. On the other hand, the prices of these raw materials are not at the level of 60% – 65% as mentioned in the Colombo consumer price index. Those ingredients are in a hyper-inflationary state. Because of this, a monopoly situation has been created for these raw materials and big issues have arisen in terms of quality and price. There is an artificially created price. For example, there is a monopoly on bathroom accessories, home decor, and aluminum. This is a very disadvantageous situation for small and medium enterprises. They are not a burden to society, the economy, or the government. This is why we need to collect all these people uniquely. A strong unity is needed to overcome these challenges. If not, the invested capital will be lost and everything will collapse.
The main issue we currently encounter is the lack of plans presented by the previous governments for improving our production. As a result, small and medium-scale industries are collapsing. We did not even develop the export substitution industries. Never have we extended a supporting hand to the export industries. We did not prepare a national plan on exports, which provides a collective contribution. It is in such a backdrop that the small and medium-scale industrialists have strived so hard with courage and commitment to bring this country to what it is today. Arbitrary decisions of the governments have resulted in further downfall from where we stand recently. Entrepreneurs are the engine of a country. No production will take place without them. No job opportunities will be created without them. It is the responsibility of a government to take entrepreneurship to the international level. However, small and medium-scale businesses have a number of problems that special large-scale enterprises do not have. Due to inflation, the labour force of people has decreased, the market has contracted and the demand has decreased. Small and medium enterprises have had to close their businesses in this. This is a serious issue that needs to be considered from the political and economic perspectives.
There has been a tendency to submerge the market that small and medium-scale enterprises have occupied until now to large-scale capital. Loss of market competition leads to loss of quality, and consumer protection. Due to the recently imposed import restrictions, there has been a serious shortage of consumer goods as well as industrial inputs and raw materials. Because of this, the structural change in the economy will not lead to the betterment of the country or the consumer. The trend of innovation that was there in the past is now collapsing. The previous governments or the current government do not even understand them. No concerns have been raised about them even in the budget presented. Instead, various patches are being applied to find the daily meal. Imports must be made in large quantities to fulfill consumer needs. The collapse of rice production in our country has resulted in that situation. Egg production, crop cultivation, handicraft industries, and input industries are collapsing and we have to question how to increase exports. Under these conditions, there is a need for a national plan for small and medium entrepreneurs. Therefore, through our energy, and collective action, we should unite for the work to be done by banking systems, educational institutions, and other government institutions. The cooperation that was once formed in an era when we said, “let’s buy our products”, is now needed again. We invite entrepreneurs to face this problem collectively. Consumers are invited to point fingers at the government for not addressing the problems of local businessmen.
Question:- How will the collapse of small and medium businessmen affect the country’s economy?
Answer:-
This effect cannot be taken lightly. Some people are saying that the problem will be solved when three billion comes from the IMF. We are in a deeper crisis than that. This engine is run by small and medium-scale entrepreneurs. Large-scale entrepreneurs can rely on the support of financial institutions for a considerable period of time. With the Easter attack, covid and the current economic collapse, small and medium-scale entrepreneurs are finding it difficult to cope. If the government does not take proper measures immediately, we warn that a more dangerous situation will arise than the current economic crisis.
Question:- IMF has also been agreed to provide an extended credit facility of 2.9 Million dollars. Do you think this can boost the country’s economy?
Answer:-
Extended Fund Facility is provided to avoid balance of payment difficulties or loan repayment difficulties. Arriving at certain agreements has become a basic condition in debt restructuring. Anyway, according to the nature of the economic crisis that our country is facing, it is not possible to get out of it through this. But in the short term, the pressure of the credit crisis can be reduced to some extent. Restructuring the debt to be paid in one year to pay it in a few years can be used for obtaining essential import materials. But all this depends only on making a sustainable loan repayment plan and acting accordingly. Take this loan and pay it back. If these loans are used for repaying the loans or for other unnecessary things, there will be no flow of investment to be used for the purpose of earning dollars. Even if three billion dollars are approved, we will not get it all at once. Therefore, if these loans are used for unsuccessful things, both the general public who are suffering and also the small and medium entrepreneurs of this country will have to pay for the collapse of the economy. If that happens, the government will try to maintain it by levying more taxes. Right now, our country is in a significant juncture. In general, when the economy contracts, inflation should decrease. But our economy is contracting and inflation is increasing. Because of this, it will become extremely difficult for people to live and we cannot tell in which direction it will turn. If a highly conflicted society is created, only violence can continue. That is why we emphasize to the public to act with awareness.
