JVP women’s wing accuses govt. of opening liquor shops while closing down schools 

 

NPP MP Dr Harini Amarasuriya flanked by PWA ex co members Vrai Cally Balthazar (left) and Samanmalee Gunasinghe addressing a press conference held at the JVP Headquarters in Pelawatte yesterday.

… hints at taking struggle to streets till rulers go home

By Saman Indrajith-2022/06/21

The JVP, led NPP women’s wing Progressive Women Alliance yesterday said the government was opening more liquor shops and bars while closing down schools.

Addressing the media at the JVP Headquarters in Pelawatte, WFR Ex-co-member Samanmalee Gunasinghe said that children’s education had collapsed by nearly 100 percent. “They are also without proper nutrition. Women are facing the severe-most hardships because of the unbearable cost of living. This government will not solve our problems. We have no other option but to take to the streets. There is no way out of this except continuous struggle till these rulers go home,” she said.

“What we have is not a government of the people. It is a makeshift government. It is a government that closes down schools while opening more liquor shops,” she said.

Gunasinghe said that the government was not capable of solving the cost of living problem and children were the worst affected because of the escalating food prices. “Teachers inform us that at least eight children in a classroom of 30 faint daily because they are starving. There was a time when the governments allocated money for the mid-day meal for schoolchildren. Before that project was closed down, the government allotted 30 rupees for each child as mid-day meal expenses. Today one needs 50 rupees to buy an egg.

NPP MP Dr. Harini Amarasuriya said that not only schools, but also private tuition classes and private schools too were facing unprecedented problems. “Parents find it hard to send their children to schools. The government has closed schools. Teachers too complain of increasing transport costs. The entire education system in crisis. The government must act fast to save it. Teachers engaged in answer script evaluation are without fuel,” Dr. Amarasuriya said.

PWA Ex-Co-Member Vrai Cally Balthazar said that the crisis was created by the government and those who were responsible to correct it would not be able to find solutions. “The rulers who are responsible for this crisis should be sent home. There is no use of expecting solutions from them. They have no solutions for the crisis. They are trying their best to cling on to power by whatever means. As long as they stay in power we’ll have to suffer. Therefore, we must strengthen the struggle against this government.”