Speaking at a public forum in Borella titled 'Lies are Plenty, Thieves are Many, People are Suffering' Premadasa highlighted the growing financial burden on the public due to the recent fluctuations in fuel prices. He pointed out that despite previous assurances to provide relief, the cost of living continues to spiral out of reach for ordinary citizens.
Premadasa specifically addressed President Dissanayake’s prior pledge to reduce taxes on imported fuel. He questioned why the government continues to levy Value Added Tax (VAT) on fuel shipments when the President had campaigned on a platform of removing such burdens to lower retail prices.
"You won by making these promises; now is the best time to fulfill them," Premadasa stated. He acknowledged that while the government cannot control global oil market volatility caused by Middle Eastern tensions, it does have the power to control domestic taxation and policy implementation.
The Opposition Leader also took aim at the government’s stance on the fuel price formula. He noted a perceived hypocrisy, alleging that the current administration criticized the formula while in opposition but is now using it to hike prices rapidly when global rates rise.
