Video: Ministers must pay for electricity used at official residence

19 April 2013 01:01 pm Views - 4691

Organisers of night races and night cricket tournaments should pay for the electricity used at these events, the joint opposition group, ‘Vipaksaye Virodaya’ said today.

United National Party (UNP) parliamentarian Mangala Samaraweera told a media conference organized by the Vipaksaye Virodaya that the organisers of night races and night cricket had not paid a single cent for the use of electricity at these sports events.

 He said ministers should also be made to pay for the entire quantity of electricity they use.

Mr. Samarawera said ministers only pay Rs.2,000 for the use of electricity at their official residences no matter how much of electricity they use in a month.
 
“I am aware of this position as I myself paid only Rs.2,000 for electricity when I was a minister,” he said and added that the need for the 17th Amendment to the Constitution was felt more than ever today because of the elasticity tariff hike.

Mr. Samaraweera said electricity prices would not have been increased had the Public Utilities Commission been in a position to function as an independent body appointed under the 17th Amendment.

Mavubima Janatha Party leader Hemakumara Nanayakkara said the joint opposition should begin a protest starting from the May Day rally this year. He invited the leftist parties and the SLMC to come out of the government as it was clear that they could no longer remain in the government.

NSSP Leader Wickramabahu Karunaratne said the struggle against this government should begin by denouncing various extremist groups that had sprouted up.(Yohan Perera and Lahiru Pothmulla)