Govt.`s pockets full of holes - Kabeer Hashim

UNP Ex M.P. Kabeer Hashim addressing the media today (19), said, ever since this Govt. came into power, the budget deficit has been ever widening while burdening the people with taxes, price hikes and c o l rises, and increasing its revenue collection by sucking the blood of the people. In spite of all these actions taken by the Govt., it has not been able to provide any relief to the people who elected it to power. The whole problem is that the Govt.’s pockets are full of holes created by corruption, wastage and fiscal mismanagement, he pointed out.

The Govt. which had right along proved that it cannot augment its revenue by launching development programs or national income generating schemes, except by being parasitic on the people , had promised to the IMF to increase the national revenue and narrow the budget deficit  when it took the loan from the IMF in desperation. Now, it is seeking to further burden the people via taxes, price hikes etc., the only methods it is accustomed to, in order to fulfill its promise to the IMF.

The Govt. says, the UNF has copied its Mahinda Chinthana proposals in its new manifesto. When the whole country and the world know this chinthana is moth eaten and has created a record for not fulfilling a single promise made in it, why should the UNF copy those proposals, he asked.

In the least, the Govt. could have fulfilled its last and latest promise to increase the monthly salaries of the Govt. servants by Rs. 2500/ -. Even after two months, it has not been honored, he lamented.