National medicinal drugs regulatory authority bill passed only, Ajith Kumara voted against:

National medicinal drugs regulatory authority bill passed only, Ajith Kumara voted against:

The National medicinal drugs regulatory authority bill was passed in

parliament on the 06th instant with a majority of 67 votes. For the voting 68 members had utilized their voting opportunity. Only Member of Parliament Ajith Kumara had voted against. Ajith Kumara had confessed later that it was because of the joint effort of the UNP and SLFP members this victory was possible.

Consequent to passing of this long overdue bill the prices of all drugs would come down and be reduced drastically and simultaneously the National medicinal drugs regulatory authority will be established which would provide for the implementation of a medicinal drug policy. Thus the monopoly of the drug racketeers mafia who hitherto were in the forefront dominated and controlled all prices of drugs would be halted.

It needs to be emphasized that those personnel who attempted to bring in this bill even lost their lives while some were bought over by giving huge sums of money via bribery and corruption by those who represented the mafia group, which was very pathetic indeed.

During the recently concluded presidential election the common opposition candidate Mathripala Sirisena in his election manifesto made a plea that within 100 days if elected as president would have this drugs bill passed. The president appointed thus fulfilled this promise made.