SJB should have moved no-faith motion against Finance Minister – Dayasiri

By Shamindra Ferdinando

State Minister Dayasiri Jayasekera says the Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) should have moved its no-faith motion against Finance Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is also the Prime Minister. over the recent fuel price increase.

Kurunegala District MP told The Island that SJB could not be unaware that in terms of the Constitution, the Finance Ministry was responsible for the revision of fuel prices. The SLFP General Secretary questioned the motives behind the SJB planning to hand over a no-faith motion against Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) leader and Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila.

Perhaps the SJB felt it could exploit a dicey situation by moving a no-confidence motion against the PHU leader, lawmaker Jayasekera said. According to MP Jayasekera, SJB leader Sajith Premadasa followed a flawed strategy believing a major rift among SLPP constituents could be caused.

Asked whether he addressed the issue at hand as the General Secretary of the SLFP, MP Jayasekera said that he dealt with the developments as a lawmaker.

The MP said that he realized severe difficulties experienced by the state banking sector in raising USD required for oil imports.

MP Jayasekera, who had held several cabinet portfolios during previous administrations, said that the government could not ignore ground realities. The lawmaker said that the Energy Minister faced a daunting task in securing banking sector support amidst dwindling foreign reserves.

Minister Gammanpila, too, told The Island that the government would have to take the public into confidence. There was no pointing in denying the fact that the country was experiencing severe financial difficulties due to a mixture of reasons, including the unprecedented crisis caused by the raging Covid-19 epidemic. The PHU leader pointed out several other parliamentarians, including Minister Bandula Gunawardena and State Minister Dr. Nalaka Godahewa recently lucidly explained the precarious financial situation the country was faced with.

Responding to our questions, Minister Gammanpila revealed the recent difficulty in raising funds required for fuel imports. Some unpopular decisions would have to be taken as the country struggled to come to terms with the much-deteriorated financial situation.

Both Jayasekera and Gammanpila said that SJB’s no-faith motion was nothing but a joke. The SJB simply did not have required numbers at least to challenge the government let alone defeat the government at a vote.