UNP's 'evil period' over: State Minister Senasinghe | Page 2 | Daily News

UNP's 'evil period' over: State Minister Senasinghe

The evil period encountered by the UNP and the country is now over. This evil period was brought about by the miserable person known as Prabhakaran who destroyed the economic nerve centres of the country during a 30-year war, Development Strategies and International Trade State Minister Sujeewa Senasinghe said.

He was addressing a UNP rally held at Kurunduwatta in support of UNP candidates led by Anuradha Ratnayake contesting the local council elections in the Nawalapitiya electorate, recently.

Prabhakaran took the precious lives of nine national leaders including Ranjan Wijeratne, Ranasinghe Premadasa, Gamini Dissanayake and Lalith Athulathmudali. The country was deprived of its national leadership so much so that the UNP did not have a male candidate to contest the 1993 Presidential election, he said.

State Minister Senasinghe said Sri Lanka was only second to Japan with regard to economic strength at the time it gained Independence in 1948. Prabhakaran who realised this, thought that the best way to win the war was to undermine the country's economy by destroying its economic nerve centres. Apart from this tragic downfall encountered by the UNP, it continued until its victory at the 2015 General Election. Now the UNP is on a winning trail and it is certain to obtain a convincing victory at the forthcoming local council election, he added.

He said the country is in a severe debt trap when the UNP-led Yahapalanaya government took office in 2015. But in spite of this, a series of steps were taken to grant economic relief to the people.

The price of petrol was reduced from Rs. 175 to Rs. 125 per litre while kerosene oil price was decreased from Rs. 100 to Rs. 49 per litre. LP gas was reduced from Rs. 2,650 to Rs. 1,400 per cylinder. Public servants were granted a Rs. 10,000 salary increase with a corresponding increase to private sector employees. Pension anomalies had also been corrected. Although benefits of the economic development programs launched by the government would take time to bring dividends to the people, all possible steps had been taken to uplift and strengthen the private sector.

Parliamentarian Ananda Aluthgamage, former Provincial Council member Peter Gahalagedara and UNP candidates contesting the local elections were also present. 


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