Opposition leader slams government’s authoritarian push amid growing challenges

The government attempts to establish an authoritarian, dictatorial single-party rule, while infinite problems exist in the country, alleged Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa.

He noted that a certain political leader once stood on a stage and questioned whether there is comfort, goodness, or optimism now, and he asks the public whether the prosperous country and beautiful life they expected emerged today.

Furthermore, the opposition leader states that according to the way this government speaks, a prosperous country and a beautiful life are created not by strengthening the farmer, fisherman, entrepreneur, and industrialists, or by strengthening education and health, but by increasing the retirement age of judges in the judicial system.

He questions whether solutions emerge for the problems faced by the people just because the retirement age of judges increased.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa stated this during a visit to inspect the problems faced by the fishing community who earn their living around the Kirinda fishery harbour.

He notes that this government now forgets the problems of the country and the people, and attempts to bring a new constitutional amendment to destroy the country and democracy, establish an authoritarian rule, and take control of the country and its 22 million people into its own hands, and intends to raise the retirement age of judges for that purpose.

The Opposition leader states that this deals a fatal blow to the independence of the judiciary, causes democracy to collapse, destroys the rule of law, and paralyses the mechanism of justice, which will give rise to an era where an authoritarian rule and a single party governs the entire country.

Although this government stated it would reduce the taxes burdening the people, reduce electricity bills by 33%, and provide fuel at the landed cost at the port, none of this exists today, and VAT applies even to farmers' equipment, fishing equipment, and school equipment.

The Opposition leader states that by imposing tax upon tax, the innocent people of the country face unlimited economic pressure, and because of the country's policy, the economy shrank, people lack money, and a situation arose where it is impossible to live.

He noted that no solutions exist for the employment problem, and instead of creating factories, a situation emerged where factories leave the country.

Additionally, the opposition leader stated there that the government lacks solutions to these problems of the youth, and although poverty stands at 30-40%, the government works to establish an authoritarian dictatorial rule in the country instead of providing answers to these issues, acting as if the solution to every problem in the country is increasing the retirement age of judges.

He noted that the current government deals a fatal blow to the independence of the judiciary, and even the trust and acceptance that the people hold in their hearts regarding judges shatters because of this.

The Opposition leader states that a referendum is required in addition to a two-thirds majority to do this, and the government now even forgets the impact occurring due to the Middle East war, as the sole focus of the government remains on somehow increasing the retirement of judges.

Premadasa noted that the government failed today to develop farming and the fishing industry, let alone develop education and health, and no important policy, including teaching information technology education in the English language, operates in the change.

He added that a Samagi Jana Balawegaya government will guide the country towards a programme that circulates money locally and internationally.

Expressing further views, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa stated that according to the Department of Census and Statistics this year, 17,000 rupees is sufficient to live in May, and one must question whether this amount suffices to live for 30 days, adding that the government lives in a fairy tale world and the public must be empowered with this information.