Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has raised fresh concerns over the government’s failure to address critical issues affecting the country’s development, including a shortage of engineering professionals and the non-collection of billions in pharmaceutical fines.
Speaking at a community outreach and party membership drive in Katupotha, Mihintale, Premadasa said the government has failed to act decisively to fill engineering vacancies crucial to implementing large-scale national projects.
He pointed out although 1,520 engineers are required to execute these projects, only 670 are currently in service.
Although plans are underway to recruit 300 more, he warned that a growing number of professionals are choosing to leave the country due to disillusionment and lack of confidence in the government’s direction.
“If the one-year-old NPP government believes it is doing the right thing, then why are these professionals migrating? If people had a positive attitude toward the country, they wouldn’t be leaving in such numbers,” he said.
Premadasa also highlighted the government’s failure to recover Rs. 3 billion in fines from several pharmaceutical sector figures who were implicated in the import and sale of substandard medicines, as noted in a State Audit Report.
He called the failure a contradiction to the government’s stated commitment to “systemic change” and questioned why no action had been taken against those involved in the illegal trade.
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