Culprits of the former administration yet to be punished – special report
View(s):Comments from RCB’s pre and post budget street polls:
(Pre budget)
- 1/3 of the cabinet is incompetent.
- Three wheel drivers are happy with the new oil prices and they hope for a reduction of fares in comparison with the 10 per cent concession on oil.
- A Government that corrects the wrong things is putting things in place. 
- Culprits of previous administration are not being punished.
- The stable door was left open for the culprits and now the Government is searching for them.
- Now we are able to freely express our opinion unlike the previous regime.
- While the benefits to the public will take time, time should not be wasted on finding past mistakes but the authorities must evolve a transparent and accountable system for the future.
- It’s too early to comment on the progress of the new Government.
The people need to eat and drink (to survive) but the previous regime imposed (many) taxes on them.
- Action against the culprits is slow. So far no benefits have passed to the people.
- Although it was promised that the Executive Presidency was to be abolished nothing seems to be happening.
- There are plenty of positives starting with oil prices.
- There seems to be some unseen hands working against this administration as well.
- Culprits can be punished using Presidential powers.
- The present Finance Minister is questionable and this will affect the image of the new Government.
- Performance of the Police seems to be okay and action has been taken against drug dealer Weli Suda and parliamentarian Duminda Silva.
- Ministers are working fast with the reduction in oil prices as one example.
- Fulfilling the 100 day programme is not possible without the existence of the Police Commission.
- Only the oil prices have come down. There are many more items that need to be reduced..
- The whole programme needs more time than 100 days to fulfill.
- New brooms normally sweep well; this is also applicable to the new ministers.
- It’s still too early to assess the performance. The ministers were only recently appointed.
- It appears that no proper investigations have commenced on defaulters on corruption. No one so far has been taken into custody for allegations of bribery.
- The new Government is on track for justice and the police must toe the line.
- Suitable persons have been appointed to high positions, and to positions of Secretaries of ministries.
- You can’t expect results in just 10 days; at least a month must lapse for some progress.
- I’m happy that good state officers have been appointed.
- We can expect justice since good officers have been appointed in the Police service.
- Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe being an experienced politician has assigned suitable persons to run ministries.
- State power has not misused. Under the present administration, it is clear that there is no room for violation of the rule of law.
- Good governance has emerged, ending family bandism.
- Cost of Living: We have to wait and see after January 29th.
- There is insufficient time for everything to change to make comment.
- As Minister Sajith Premadasa says every Ministry must start work with a new audit.
- It is too early to decide on the progress of the new Government. Give them another 2-3 weeks.
- We are not happy with the appointment of new ministers. The Education Minister is not the best appointment. Arjuna Ranatunga should have been the Sports Minister.
- The Bribery Commission is powerless. Without empowering the department, corruption and bribery cannot be tackled.
- With regard to the Sajin Vaas Gunewardena matter, the Police seem to be helpless, People will lose confidence in the Police by such loopholes in the system.
- Why isn’t Duminda Silva arrested so far? Are the culprits still being tolerated?
- Arrest and deal with the culprits fast and get this done fast rather than spending time on development.
- Stop family bandism and corrupt persons from contesting elections. Evolve a system to clean up the election system; otherwise our system will get rotten.
=Mahinda was destroyed by Namal, Basil and Wimal. Maithripala will have to take precautions from those who surround/are close to him.
=Harsha (de Silva) should have been the Finance Minister. Ravi (Karunanayake) has a bad record with regard to public ventures.
(Post budget)
=Regulations need to be issued for the private sector to give the salary increase of Rs. 2,500.
=This is an election budget
=Watch out … there will be a price increase after the (June) election.
=Punish the offenders caught for importing narcotics
=Rice prices are still high and need to be slashed.
=The Executive Presidential system needs to be abolished.
=The public has been benefited by the budget
=Ministers are not taking adequate action against corruption in the country.
=Some Ministers should have been given better ministries.
=Police is free from political influence and they can work in a free environment.
=Everywhere information is disseminated on corruption but the process against the ‘guilty’ is slow.
=Where are the benefits of the oil price cut, shown in the vegetable price and the cup of tea mostly consumed by the ordinary man?
=Empower the Bribery and Corruption Commission since its operation is not satisfactory.
=The price cut in selected items has no impact on consumers. The monthly consumption in these selected items is hardly noticed.
= Although prices have come down, there is no development plan in the budget.