United National Party (UNP) Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene said a further deterioration in the country’s economy will happen next year as the government has put the country and its people in a serious debt trap.
The Deputy Leader further stated that although the people were happy and were able to eat three meals a day during the UNP government, the present regime has made it impossible for the people to eat one decent meal a day, let alone three meals.
Wijewardene was addressing Party activists at the Sirikotha Party headquarters yesterday. Responding to further questions from Party activists, the Deputy Leader said, the people brought the present government to power with high hopes. But now the government is breaking all those expectations. When the government of good governance was there, the Opposition never made the allegation that the people did not get enough to eat.
“At that time these people accused us of being a cowardly government, which they made up themselves. They defined us as cowards because we gave people the opportunity to express themselves freely. We functioned as a government that affirmed democracy. It appeared cowardly to many," he said.
"Even though we were cowards have now seen how dreadful this government is. At that time our government provided enough opportunity to people to criticize us on social media. Today that opportunity does not exist, he said.
Sri Lanka headed towards isolation?
The Deputy Leader also questioned Sri Lanka's foreign relations as both India and China seem to have had a fall out with the government.
He said that Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa's recent visit to India was unsuccessful according to media reports.
We have heard reports that the Minister of Finance had not got any assistance from India though he made a recent visit to the subcontinent. This is why our leader inquired about the Finance Minister’s visit to India Finance Minister’s visit to India in Parliament recently. China on the other hand had canceled investment projects they were to start in Northern Sri Lanka and shifted them to the Maldives. This government has fallen out with China and India. How can Sri Lanka move along in such a situation?” he questioned.
He reiterated that no country in the world tries to function on its own and that isolation from the international community will not help any nation.
