The government, which promised to provide fertilizer at Rs 350, has failed to even provide it at the price of Rs 1,200 to farmers and the Agriculture Minister has been unable to find a solution to the country’s fertilizer shortage, says the UNP.

MP Harin Fernando stated that the country is currently experiencing a great fertilizer shortage, which affects all types of farmers in almost all regions.

Farmers visiting Agrarian Services Centers in areas such as Polonnaruwa, Hingurakgoda, Kantale, Dambulla, Minneriya and Mahiyanganaya are returning home empty handed, he said.

The most controversial issue is that Agriculture Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena has recently declared that the reason they had not imported fertilizer was because there is enough fertilizer in the soil in Sri Lanka, he said.

“Such an absurd statement has not been made by a Minister in the history of the country,” Fernando said, addressing a press conference today.    

Questioning whether such “unintelligent” Ministers exist, he stated that a situation has risen in the country where importing fertilizer has been stopped because there is enough fertilizer in the soil.

He accused the government and its Ministers of “slipping away” from the problem plaguing the country like “eels” and that a similar method was followed after the electricity tariff hike.

He charged that the government is putting one rupee into the people’s pocket while taking back two rupees and inquired whether public is unable to see the government’s wastage and corruption.

Fernando further stated that the government is unable to find Rs 3 billion to construct gates at the remaining unprotected railway crossings in the country and safeguard the public, but spends Rs 4 billion to nourish its ministers.    

The government has even allocated Rs 25 billion to establish a space agency in Sri Lanka, he said. “People are wondering whether they can walk on earth before going to space”.

On the recent controversy surrounding cricketer Ramith Rambukwella, the son of Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, who tried to open the cabin door mid-air in a flight, the UNP MP stated that the behavior of the sons of all government politicos is the same.

This is not the first time Minister Keheliya Rambukwella’s son has travelled on a plane for him to not be able to find the toilet door.

Harin Fernando stated that may be Ramith Rambukwella also intends to contest in the upcoming election and therefore wanted some publicity.  

“This is an era where sons are attempting to jump from 35,000 feet when fathers jump from 35 feet,” he said.