Former Parliamentarian Rajitha Senaratne has sharply criticised the government’s proposed disaster-relief package, dismissing President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s recent pledges as unrealistic and financially unworkable.
Speaking at a press conference today, Senaratne accused the government of offering “fairy tales” to a desperate public, claiming that the administration is attempting to unveil a relief programme worth Rs. 300 billion despite having only Rs. 120 billion in available funds. He said the President’s presentation to Parliament earlier this week looked “very beautiful” on paper but lacked financial credibility. According to him, the country’s situation is dire, with more than two million people affected by the recent disaster and thousands reported dead or missing. “The first chapter of the fairy tale is over; now they have come to the second chapter,” he remarked, adding that people overwhelmed by tragedy are “ready to clutch at straws.”
Senaratne went on to outline the costs required to meet the government’s specific promises. He noted that cleaning 67,505 damaged houses at Rs. 25,000 each would alone cost Rs. 1.7 billion. Providing kitchen items worth Rs. 5,000 for each affected household, he said, would amount to Rs. 3.4 billion. He also observed that offering Rs. 25,000 per month for three months to families moving from camps into rented accommodation would require around Rs. 312 million. A livelihood allowance of Rs. 1,000 per month for three months, if given to half of the affected population, would require roughly Rs. 44 billion, he added. Rebuilding 4,164 fully damaged houses at Rs. 5 million each, he further stated, would cost Rs. 20.8 billion.
He stressed that these estimates highlight a large gap between expenditure and the state’s available funds. The government, Senaratne said, had secured Rs. 50 billion through an interim account in Parliament and claims to possess a further Rs. 70 billion in savings—totalling only Rs. 120 billion. “Keeping Rs. 120 billion in hand, they are giving promises of Rs. 300 billion,” he charged. He further criticised what he described as unfulfilled election promises on reducing fuel prices, electricity tariffs and food taxes.
Senaratne also questioned the government’s ability to manage a crisis of this scale, saying that while the administration may consist of academically qualified individuals, it lacks leaders with the practical intelligence and experience needed to navigate a national catastrophe. “We clearly said we need an intelligent leader—one with both knowledge and experience,” he said.
With widespread destruction reported across the island, Senaratne urged all political factions to set aside past grievances and work together. He stressed that the disaster cannot be addressed by a single party or leader and called for a united national effort to rebuild the country.
