Minister Samaraweera was speaking to the media after Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe met a Parliamentary delegation led by Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees yesterday for an analysis of the country’s economic situation resulting from the Easter Sunday terror attacks. Earlier, the Prime Minister warmly welcomed Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa and his group and conducted them to the conference room. Minister Samaraweera said no political issues figured at the meeting held yesterday.
The Opposition Leader queried about the relief measures granted for people in all sectors affected by the Eastern Sunday terror attacks and added that he would answer those queries in a full statement he would make in Parliament. He said private bus owners too suffered losses due to the April attacks and relief measures were taken for their benefit on a request made by Gemunu Wijeratne.
He said his Ministry had also responded to the requests for assistance made by music groups and hands, Pandal makers and other business ventures which had suffered loss of business due to the security situation in the county as well and all these relief measures were acknowledged by the Opposition Leader at this meeting.
The Opposition Leader also expressed his appreciation of the steps taken to defeat an international terrorist group and bring the country back to normalcy within a short period”, Samaraweera said. He said it was the duty of all to prevent attempts by opportunist politicians to create incidents similar to the Black July communal clashes by using the recent April incidents.
Non Cabinet Minister Dr Harsha de Silva, Central Bank Governor Dr Indrajith Coomaraswamy, Central Bank Senior Deputy Director Dr Nandalal Weerasinghe, Finance Ministry Secretary Dr. R.H.S. Samaratunge and Finance Ministry Consultant Mano Tittawella also participated in the discussions.