Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya told Parliament that the government is committed to ensuring the uninterrupted continuation of essential services, public services, and industries despite the ongoing crisis.

She urged the opposition to support efforts to fulfill promises made for public welfare, according to the Prime Minister’s Media Division.

Responding to a question from Member of Parliament V. Radhakrishnan, the Prime Minister highlighted ongoing challenges in the education sector of the estate community, noting that teacher shortages remain a significant concern. Over 23,000 teachers have been recruited to fill these vacancies in line with a court directive. She added that these issues are being discussed at district-level meetings of the Ministry of Education, with steps underway to provide prompt solutions.

Addressing the broader national situation, the Prime Minister said the country has faced multiple crises, including a global pandemic, an economic crisis, and political instability, and is only beginning to recover. She criticized the opposition for attempts to destabilize the government, create public fear, and undermine governance, diplomacy, and economic recovery. She emphasized that the groups responsible for past economic instability are now seeking to overthrow a democratically elected government to avoid accountability.

The Prime Minister stressed that the opposition should pursue power through democratic means by earning public confidence in elections rather than exploiting crises. She clarified that the current fuel shortages are a result of the global conflict in the Middle East and not a failure of government policy.

Since the onset of the conflict, the government has implemented measures that kept Sri Lanka’s fuel price increases among the lowest in South Asia. To manage supply, a QR code system was introduced to regulate fuel consumption, which is being continuously streamlined to minimize irregularities.

She concluded by reaffirming the government’s priority to maintain essential services, public services, and industries, while again calling on the opposition to support initiatives aimed at fulfilling promises for the welfare of the people.