Feeding poor and not infrastructure projects need of the hour – Sajith

While parts of the beach reclamation project at Mount Lavinia costing nearly Rs.900 million continues to be washed away, Samagi Jana Balawegaya leader Sajith Premadasa says the government has got its wires crossed.

This was not the time to be engaging in infrastructure projects, Premadasa told a news conference in Colombo on Sunday.

He said that the over two-month Coronavirus disease induced lock down, resulting in dwindling incomes or no income at all, caused by pay cuts and job loses, had virtually thrown the vast majority of the people from the frying pan into the fire. But the government was merrily carrying on with land reclamation, roads and highway projects, as if there was no crisis in the country, instead of channeling those funds, at least in the short term to provide the people with their basic needs.

He said that the most affected segments of society should be provided with at least a Rs.20,000 monthly allowance, to tide over the adverse impact of the pandemic.

(Source: The Island – By Zacki Jabbar)