These were the idiotic times... You could only transport rice, paddy or chillies for a few kiliometers. They will confiscate the car or whatever the transport too. We had paddy fileds in Matugama but could not get any rice to Colombo. I cannot understand what dumb logic was that. Rice did not go outside SL. It only went from one town to another - internally used. That's why idiotic times. Sadly we have got the idiots in power again.
I wasn't there but my parents had a real hard time. They said they had to go to all the way to Colombo to buy cloths even tyres and tubes for a bicycle. They issue new tyres and tubes when you provide the old items. What nonsense that is.
At that time it was prohibited to cook rice at home more than two days of the week. All the other days people had to eat yams like manioc.
At the same time the government officials and their kith and kin enjoy the lives without restrictions. Is there anybody hear Chandrika was saying she had a crisis situation at that time?
Recently, I got to know that even import restrictions were there the people who supported the government could get a permit to import things. So the monopoly is on the hands of the government henchmen. One of my neighbor families were rich at that time since they had a permit. Even now they curse JR removing the import ban and let any average
Joe to import things which leads to bankrupt their business.
Even at that time it was a total scam I don't know why some people still praise Sirima for that.