ECONOMYNEXT — President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has essentially endorsed his predecessor President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s efforts to resolve Sri Lanka’s financial crisis, according to former State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday September 25 evening following a meeting of MPs who backed Wickremesinghe for his reelection bid, Semasinghe said President Dissanayake has accepted that the Wickremesinghe administration’s reform programme was a successful one.
“He didn’t do that before the election. Perhaps he has done a broader assessment of the economy since assuming duties. He has spoken about the importance of implementing the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme and continuing the debt restructuring process. I think they realise now that the measures we took to resolve this crisis were correct,” he said.
In his first ever televised address to the nation, Dissanayake said his government will start talks with the IMF to enhance economic stability and work with creditors.
“There are many plans that we want to put in place. But before that we have to achieve stability,” President Dissanayake said.
“We will therefore start talks with the IMF and take forward the matters related to Extended Fund Facility (EFF). We will start discussions with creditor groups and wrap up debt restructuring and get the concessions as soon as possible.”
The United National Party (UNP)’s Ashu Marasinghe told reporters that Wickremesinghe’s camp is still discussing who should the prime minister ‘candidate’ for the parliamentary elections scheduled for November.
“We must get everyone together and move forward,” he said. Asked if that would include the rival Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), he said: “The discussion is to get everyone in the opposition on board.”
Former State Minister of Investment Promotion Dilum Amunugama referred to a comment by President Dissanayake that good-faith actors were welcome to support his government.
“He has said people who come in good faith are welcome. He too has opened the saloon door. He is now adjusting to the usual system little by little,” said Amunugama.
“No we don’t plan to go. I’m talking about what he said,” he added.
Former ruling party Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP Premanath C Dolawatte said Dissanayake will have to move past the campaign rhetoric now that he is president.
“He is the president now. It doesn’t matter what you said during the campaign. Use helicopters. They talk a lot about vehicles. Aren’t those vehicles going to be distributed to officials? It has to be done. It doesn’t matter what was said before the election.
“There’s also the matter of his security. You’re not the leader of the JVP or the NPP anymore. You’re the leader of this country,” he said.
Daluwatta also said he was thankful that Central Bank Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe and Secretary to the Ministry of Finance Mahinda Siriwardena were retained by Dissanayake.
“They criticised the central bank governor and the secretary to the ministry of finance before the election. But you made the right decision to retain them. You have approved what we did. It doesn’t matter what you said before, but don’t let the country fall,” said Daluwatta. (Colombo/Sep26/2024)