Pay hike insufficient: UNP

22 November 2011 07:26 am Views - 4016

The main opposition UNP today decried the proposed ten-per cent pay hike in the budget saying that it would be totally insufficient given the high cost of living.

Opening the second reading debate on the 2012 budget, UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake said that the government servants would get around Rs.2,500 as their pay hike according to this decision.

“This is the amount pledged in the run up to the Presidential Elections in 2010.   Today, the cost of living has sky rocketed.  When the pledged amount is adjusted the cost of living, it should be at least Rs.7,900 a month.  People’s purchasing power has declined today,” he said.

Citing the budget as a farce, Mr. Karunanayake said that the economy was in the doldrums today though the President was at pains to deny it. He said that the economies in the United States and Europe were reeling and in such a global context, Sri Lanka’s economy could not be insulated.

“We ask the government not to colourise the economy. The government has totally forgotten the ordinary people. There is a pay hike for public servants. There are 7.1 million employees in the private sector. What have you given to them? There is no benefit for farmers and fishermen.  The government has started pick pocketing money from people,” he said.
He also took a swipe at the government for the proposal to acquire 37,000 hectares of land belonging to the plantation sector.

“When you introduced the expropriation bill, you promised not to take over any more private property. What has happened now? The President has announced it in the budget,” he said.

In addition, the UNP was critical of the judgment given to former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka, and asked as why such legal action was not taken against the LTTE’s chief arms procurer Kumaran Pathmanathan.

“We are sad because the former Army Commander is being victimised in this manner because he was our candidate at the Presidential Election.  Today, corruption is rampant, and the law and order situation has declined. Our colleague Baharatha Lakshman Premachandran was killed. His innocent Daughter Hirunika has to cry for justice today. Yet, drug dealers are in safe havens,” he  said. (Kelum Bandara and Yohan Perera)