Ordinary masses do not have a problem with the budget, only bankrupt politicians have

Price reductions proposed from budget to be effective immediately: Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake 

Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake said yesterday that even though certain politicians have not felt the price reduction of a number of essential commodities through 2016 budget, it has certainly been felt by the ordinary masses of the country. The Minister stated this during an observation visit to the Mattakkuliya SLTB depot yesterday.  Brushing aside allegations of the opposition, the Minister asserted that ordinary people have been offered many relief measures through the budget. 

Speaking further, Minister Karunanayake said: “Even before the budget was presented, we took measures to bring down the prices of many essential commodities from kerosene to gas. Some politicians claim that they haven’t understood the budget. Though they did not understand the budget, the ordinary people have certainly felt that the budget has eased their burden.  We have taken measures to implement price reductions from midnight of the budget day itself.” 

Speaking further during the budget debate he said, “The Sri Lanka Transport Board should undergo major changes. That’s why special attention has been paid to the public transport from this budget. The SLTB is in total disarray. Up to now only ad-hoc measures have been taken to address problems in the transport sector. The annual loss incurred by the SLTB amounts to nearly Rs. 4,500 million. Therefore we have to modernise the SLTB while minimising losses.  We have to give priority to the needs of passengers. I must also stress that the job security of SLTB employees will not be undermined in any manner despite our moves to embark upon a major overhaul of the SLTB.” 

“Some trade unions allege that the Government is bent on destroying the SLTB. The former regime had already destroyed it. There is nothing left to be destroyed. What we can do is revive the SLTB.  Attempts made by certain parties to misinterpret the budget had been a flop. They were expecting a budget that would have heaped more and more tax burdens on the people. But contrary to their expectations, a totally different budget that brought immense relief to the public was presented.”  

Transport Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva and the Chairman of Sri Lanka Transport Board Ramal Siriwardane too were present on the occasion.