Ranil revs up national interest before party politics

• Says he sought postponement of NCM against Govt. till Fin. Min. briefs P’ment on outcome of talks with IMF, other agencies
• Says Parliament must move away from conventional politics
• Says no point in NCM at this time and having 113 on any side will not help overcome current situation, at least 170 must work together
• Opines failure by Parliament to find solutions will lead to people turning against all 225
• Says Govt. must present roadmap for economic recovery to the House

By Chandani Kirinde

UNP MP Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday said that he had requested the postponement of the No-Confidence Motion (NCM) against the Government till Finance Minister Ali Sabry finishes his discussions to get emergency funding for the country and briefs Parliament on its outcome.

“There is no point bringing a no confidence motion before that,” Wickremesinghe said in Parliament yesterday.

“Both sides are trying to see if they have 113 MPs but let me tell you one thing. A Government with 113 won’t be able to solve these problems. At least 170-180 MPs will have to get together on both sides to work to overcome this situation,” Wickremesinghe said.

The UNP leader said Parliament has to move away from conventional politics for a while.

“We can argue inside the chamber but outside in a committee we have to work together. Parliament has to take back control of public finances. Without doing that, without understanding the ground realities, there is no purpose to us arguing here. We have to come to a political solution soon,” he said.

Wickremesinghe said that he had handed over his proposals on how to move forward and other parties had also done so too. “Let us look at all these. If we try to move ahead without the support of at least 170 MPs, we will also be chased away soon,” he said.

The UNP MP said he agreed with Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa who requested the Government to submit to the House a road map for economic recovery.

“We have to develop a debt sustainability plan. We have an economic problem and a political problem. The economic issues can become a geopolitical issue. Hence the entire Parliament must take responsibility and work together,” he said.