Minister Jayasena said so participating in the committee stage debate on budget 2015 under the expenditure headings of the Ministry of Economic Development this evening.

She said: “I happened to hear one of the Opposition Member was complaining that they have not been allotted enough funds. I would like to remind those who accuse us of the way the UNP treated opposition MPs when it was in power. I too had been an MP in the Opposition from 1989 to 1994 when the UNP ruled this country. Not even ten rupees were given to us by the government for any development activity in our electorates. I am happy that our government gives Rs five million to each and every opposition MP including those of the UNP for development activities.”

“The then UNP regime spread ‘Dooshanaya saha bheeshanaya’ (corruption and terror) and killed around 60,000 youth. Even my house came under a bomb attack,” the minister recalled.

She said: “The incumbent government carrying out development work that had been overlooked by previous governments. The Ministry of Economic Development is providing for the people in the rural areas. Their livelihood opportunities have been increased. When President Mahinda Rajapaksa assumed the office this country in 2005 was in a hopeless state after being battered by tsunami. Look at the differences between then and now. The President had given jobs to all graduates until 2012. Those work we did for the people have answered and people keep voting for us,” the Minister added. (Special Reporter/HC)