SJB Calls for Immediate Disclosure of Fuel Pricing Formula, Alleges Public Is Not Receiving Promised Relief

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) National Organiser Tissa Attanayake has alleged that the fuel relief promised by the President has not reached the public, claiming that the benefit has instead been given to fuel companies.

Speaking at an SJB media briefing, Attanayake said the President had promised that fuel would be sold at the price at which it was unloaded at the port. However, he said the Government was now referring to a global crisis while the price of a barrel of oil in the world market had also declined.

He questioned where the profits earned from fuel were going and called on the Government to immediately disclose its fuel pricing formula. He also alleged that the Government continued to impose taxes on fuel and called for those taxes to be reduced.

Attanayake said poverty in the country had increased and that the situation could not be viewed positively. He claimed that poverty had risen to 65 per cent, while the nutritional condition of children had deteriorated, inflation had increased by 8 per cent and unemployment had also risen.

He further claimed that the pawning of gold jewellery had increased significantly, alleging that gold jewellery worth Rs. 15 billion had been pawned. He also referred to outstanding credit card payments running into billions of rupees and an increase in domestic borrowing.

According to Attanayake, the Government was collecting taxes from the public while also borrowing billions of rupees domestically, which he claimed was pushing citizens into a debt trap.

He also levelled allegations concerning several issues, including an alleged coal-related fraud exceeding Rs. 10 billion, money allegedly lost from the Treasury, an alleged fraud involving 323 containers, and issues surrounding rice and salt imports. He claimed that investigations into these matters had still not been carried out.

Attanayake further alleged that more corruption had taken place during the first two years of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake's administration than during the nine-year period of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

He also criticised the Government over what he described as excessive taxation of the public, while alleging that steps had been taken to remove taxes imposed on casinos.

He claimed that the Government had failed to adequately promote domestic production or take sufficient steps to integrate the country into the international economy.

Referring to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Attanayake also criticised what he described as attempts to mislead the public through slogans and imagery, saying such an approach would not succeed.

On political cooperation, Attanayake said the SJB and the United National Party (UNP) were working together against the Government, although not as a single political party. He said efforts were underway to build a political force against the Government and claimed that the Government was concerned about the development.

He added that the political activities of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) did not pose a challenge to the SJB, saying the SLPP's challenge was directed at the Government.