Basil doesn’t come to Parliament – Mano Ganeshan

Speaking at a public event organised by the Foundation to Protect People’s Rights held at the Public Library Colombo, recently, Colombo District MP Mano Ganeshan said Basil Rajapaksa did not attend Parliament, and, therefore, the Opposition could not discuss pressing issues with him.

The event mainly addressed issues related to the soaring cost of living, and consumer rights. Many consumer rights and small-scale service provider organisations expressed their views at the event.

Activist Asela Sampath, the chief organiser, said that although there were enough pseudo patriots who lamented about issues like nation and religion there was hardly anyone who took up cudgels for the hapless consumer. He said consumer rights had to be made an integral part of the policy of future governments.

MP Patali Champika Ranawaka, in his speech, warned of the possibility of an electricity tariff hike that would mainly affect the ordinary citizens in the near future. He said the majority “low consumers” numbering 6.4 million would face a 500% tariff hike while the “high consumers” would face only an 18% increase.