We’ll support Govt’s people-friendly proposals: Sajith

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa told Parliament yesterday that his party was prepared to support the government to implement all progressive proposals in its presidential election manifesto and in President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's policy statement on January 3 2020.

In his maiden speech in Parliament as Opposition Leader, he said the government should not wait till it obtains a two-thirds majority at the next general elections. “All 225 members of Parliament will vote in your favour if you are keen to implement your progressive pledges,” he told government MPs.

“We will act as a modern opposition and will support the government's good deeds,” he said.

The Opposition Leader said his party would support the government to cancel the Millennium Challenge Corporation agreement as promised by this government promised during the presidential election campaign. “Incidentally it is ironical that government members who had vehemently opposed the MCC are now claiming that 70 per cent of the MCC agreement is acceptable,” he said.

The Opposition Leader said it was important to check Sri Lanka’s ranking in the global happiness index when it came to the prices of essential goods after the present government took office. “A kilo of beans has risen to Rs.300 from Rs.160 after the presidential election, carrot to Rs.430 a kilo from Rs.260 and potatoes to Rs. 250 a kilo from Rs.200. Its appropriate to check how happy the people are now,” he said (Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana)