• The SLPP is a coalition with dissenting views, policies and ideologies 
• There is no dispute between the Ministers of Energy and Minister of Power

 By Sandun A Jayasekera   

Mass Media Minister Dulles Alahapperuma made an appeal to the media not to portray different views by different politicians of the coalition government of SLPP as a split within.   

“The SLPP is a coalition with dissenting views, policies and ideologies. Therefore, every constituent partner of the SLPP government has the right to express their independent and dissenting views on any issue. Therefore, you must not interpret it as a breakup of the government. The diverse of opinion among our coalition partners shows the internal democracy in the government,” Minister Alahapperuma emphasized.   

There is no dispute between the Ministers of Energy and Minister of Power. When Energy Minister says that he is not in a position to supply oil to the CEB any longer due to the sharp escalation of oil prices in the global market and the depletion of oil stocks of the CPC it is the truth. When the Power Minister says that unless the CEB does not get ample fuel supplies to run the thermal power plants, it is also the truth. There is no malicious intent in it.   
Responding to a journalist, Minister Alahapperuma said Parliamentarian Jayantha Ketagoda had no intention in his comments what so ever on Minister Udaya Gammanpila when he made certain comments at the SLPP group meeting. The media had a big responsibility not to attempt to destabilize the government with aggressive and half-baked news, he said.  ‘When we talk about the power crisis, the media and the electricity consumers also save a duty to save power at every opportunity possible if we are to come out of this power crisis unscathed,” he said.