By Yohan Perera

Chief Government Whip  Highways Minister Johnston Fernando yesterday said those who did nothing to improve the country’s energy sector while they were in power now come to parliament with candles and flashlights.

“It was ironic to see SJB MPs bringing torches and candles to parliament with the intention of finding fault with us for the ongoing power cuts while they were the ones actually responsible for this crisis, They did nothing to upgrade the country’s power and energy sector during the yahapalana regime.  We as a nation today pay the price for their incompetence from 2015 to 2019,” the Minister said during a ceremony held to hand over keys of newly built houses for those who had lost theirs owing to the widening of the Pamankada bridge.

"They did nothing to develop the country. They could not implement a single project to upgrade the country’s power sector while engineers and other experts kept pointing out the need to do so. Now, as a result, we have to face the power cuts.” the Minister said.

“This bridge with 44 feet width is going to be the widest bridge in the country. It’s our hope to complete this work by the end of this year. It is also an indication that we continued to work despite a pandemic-induced economic crisis. People may recall that we used to work in the same manner while we have been fighting a war. But could anyone remember any substantial development projects by the yahapalana government? 

Minister Fernando said that the original plan was to complete the construction of the new bridge by March 31, this year but additional 90 days have been required by the contractors owing to changes in the plans. “Today we hand over the keys to newly built houses for those who had lost their property and land to give way to the new bridge being constructed to solve traffic congestion that lasted for decades at Pamankada. We are passing a period of trying times. We are confronted with a dollar shortage problem yet we have not stopped our work and are moving forward," he added. 

Responding to a question raised by a journalist who pointed out that the opposition was alleging that there was no food, no fuel and there was no electricity, the Minister said: “There is no starvation in this country. We have to accept that. Fuel prices have risen recently and there may be further increases because of the Russian-Ukraine war.  Yet, we have decided not to stop any development project. We have to admit there is a cement problem today that is because of the increased demand owing to the boom of the construction industry. The opposition members think that there would be regime change on the basis of these temporary shortages," he said.