Budget 2022 failed to deliver relief to people, says UNP

• Vajira Abeywardena says Govt. has tricked people, Budget has pushed country to a dangerous place; lacks transparency
• Palitha Thewarapperuma alleges “7-brained” Basil Rajapaksa’s Budget has no solutions to burning issues in country
• Lakshma Wijemanne charges Budget 2022 proved that “Sir failed, his Government failed”

UNP Chairman and former Minister Vajira Abeywardena

Agalawatta Divisional Secretariat Chairman and former Minister Palitha Thewarapperuma

UNP Kalutara District Chairman and former MP Lakshman Wijemanna

UNP Chairman and former Minister Vajira Abeywardena on Saturday said Budget 2022 has pushed the country to a very dangerous place and has not presented any solutions to the burning issues of the people.

He claimed that the Government has once again created an era of long queues to purchase essential food items, like milk powder, gas and cement, whilst noting that Budget 2022 would pave the way for a gloomy future where people would suffer severely.

Abeywardena made these remarks speaking at a party member gathering to enlighten on the restructuring program of the UNP in the Agalawatta electorate on Saturday.

The meeting was organised by Agalawatta Divisional Secretariat Chairman and Former Minister Palitha Thewarapperuma and UNP Kalutara District Chairman and former MP Lakshman Wijemanna.

Following the meeting, a protest was staged in Agalawatta under the leadership of UNP Chairman Vajira Abeywardena against Budget 2022.

The protest was staged by displaying placards and slogans on a number of issues, including the lack of relief to the people from the Budget 2022 — the oppression of the people without gas, milk powder, cement and the sale of State resources to foreigners. A large number of people from the area were present.

UNP Chairman pointed out that Budget 2022 will further encourage organic fertiliser, and that the agriculture industry is on the verge of collapse without high-quality chemical fertilisers and agrochemicals.

 “I read the Budget 2022 in its entirety. I would like to make it clear that this is not a Budget that will benefit the people at all. You have to keep in mind that this is a Budget that has further strengthened the complete collapse of all agricultural crops in the country,” he claimed.

He also said that Budget 2022 has used another trick to deceive 1.5 million public servants and 600,000 retirees. 

“It has been announced that the retirement age of State sector workers will be extended to 65 years. However, service of specialised grades, such as specialist doctors and engineers, had been extended till 63 years. The public servants are able to get 80% of their gratuity and Government investment at once. However, the trick is that by extending the age limit to 65 years, the Government evades the obligation to pay them at once,” he explained.

Abeywardena claimed the Department of Pensioners has only paid till July, whilst payments have not been made for the months of July, August, September, October and November yet.

He also said that the Rs. 500 million allocated to eliminate pension anomalies cannot be solved. “When we handed over the administration of the country in 2004, we stated that when something is increased for public servants, it should be increased to 70% for retirees as well.”

He charged that the Government had also snatched a large amount from the bank’s income. “The 15% VAT on bank profits has now increased to 18%,” he said, declaring the 2022 Budget a terrible one.

“The Budget estimate has also been presented as a 2022-2024 medium-term draft bill. It also didn’t include the detailed booklets which otherwise are presented on the revenue and expenses. At least that program was not properly targeted. In such a situation, the people of the entire country will have to face an unfortunate and gloomy future,” he stressed. Thewarapperuma said President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who came to power claiming ‘one country, one law’, had today placed the law and the country under the Rajapaksa family and a select group.

“The people of SLPP claimed that with Basil Rajapaksa, who is said to have seven brains, appointed as the Minister of Finance, all economic woes in the country will be solved. But the only thing he did with his seven brains was to create a long-queue era across the country,” he said.

He also claimed that Budget 2022 proves that “seven-brained” Basil Rajapaksa could not find solutions to the burning issues of the country.

“The Budget presented by Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa has not given any relief to the people. Due to this Budget, the country is falling further into the abyss. By next year, the people of this country will have to suffer terribly,” Thewarapperuma warned.

Wijemanne said the Budget 2022 presented has proved that “Sir failed, and his Government failed”.

He cautioned that if the Government is not sent home without further delay, they will destroy the whole country.

“There are only a handful of fairytales in this Budget. The whole Budget is empty and it has not provided solutions to take the country forward or to relieve the problems faced by the people. The country does not benefit from such evil rulers. Therefore, we call on all the citizens to rally to oust them immediately,” Wijemanna said.

Agalawatta Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman Piyasena Madurawala, Deputy Chairman Rohana Galabada, Bulathsinhala Pradeshiya Opposition Leader Sabha U. N. R. Jayasinghe, Madurawala Pradeshiya Opposition Leader Sabha Amal Nishantha, and many Local Government representatives and members of the UNP participated at the meeting.