28 June 2021 09:32 am Views - 99
State Minister for Rural Roads and Other Infrastructure Nimal Lanza said that Mr. Basil Rajapaksa who heads the Presidential Task Force on Economic Regeneration and Poverty Alleviation should be in Parliament.
The Minister said Mr. Basil Rajapaksa played a key role in the development of the economy during the time of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa as the then president.
He contributed to a number of programmes including Uthuru Wasanthaya, Nagenahira Navodaya and the development of the rural economy.
“Today, the COVID-19 crisis has affected Sri Lanka as well as the world economy. The rise of world oil prices has affected a number of sectors in Sri Lanka, including fisheries. It is the stand of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) to provide relief to the people at this hour. Mr. Basil Rajapaksa will take the necessary steps in the future in consultation with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the Prime Minister and the Cabinet,” he said.
Meanwhile, around 40 SLPP backbenchers of Parliament met at the Dehiwala residence of Matale District MP Pramitha Bandara Tennakoon yesterday and resolved that Mr. Basil Rajapaksa should be sworn in as an MP and then to be appointed Cabinet Minister.
Badulla District MP Tissa Kuttiarachchi who attended the meeting said the MPs would meet with the President and the Prime Minister later and discuss it.