People need practical solutions and not policy statements: Prof. G.L. Peiris 

Parliamentarian Prof. G.L. Peiris boycotting President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s Statement of Government Policy at the opening of the Fourth session of the Parliament yesterday said the people are fatigued by listening to policy statements of politicians. He said instead of throne speeches and policy statements the people need solutions to their problems. 

“The whole country has come to a standstill. All sectors have come onto the streets claiming they cannot bear the tax burden. The people need practical solutions for these burning problems and not throne speeches or policy statements. People are tired of listening to these,” he said.  Peiris along with MPs from the Freedom People’s Congress, a breakaway group of the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna boycotted the President’s speech and gathered outside the Parliament in protest instead. 

The MP said the strong set-up in Parliament to combat corruption rampant in the country has now come to a grinding halt. “We have been able to gain good results through parliamentary committees. Investigations are continuing on tender processes and commissions. Certain committees are headed by Opposition MPs. But now at least 40 committees have been disbanded due to the prorogation of Parliament. This is a great misdeed. We will not be part of this,” he added.