People losing trust in govt after lottery fiasco – Bandula

UPFA Parliamentarian Bandula Gunawardane says that the people’s trust in the government with regard to lotteries has been completely breached for the first time in Sri Lankan history. 

He charged that the people who make a living by selling lottery tickets were gravely affected by the Rs 5 levy imposed on each and every ticket through the budget by Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake, for the first time ever. 

 As a solution to this the President had to order that the price of lottery tickets be reduced from Rs 30 to Rs 20, the former minister said. 

However, as retailers still sell their tickets at Rs.30, or do not state a set price on the ticket itself, people have lost their trust in the government, concerning their role in the National Lottery he said, during a press conference held by the Joint Opposition.

Meanwhile, MP G.L. Peiris stated that the present economic downfall the country is facing, is a direct consequence of poor governance by the government at present.