UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe 

• Ranil criticises Cabraal for playing politics at APC after CBSL Chief blames Yahapalanaya for current ills
• President sides with Ranil, apologises to UNP leader

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had to intervene to cool tempers at yesterday’s All-Party Conference (APC) after UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe accused Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal of playing politics at a meeting convened to discuss the serious economic problems facing the country.

“I regret that the CBSL Governor started out by blaming the previous Government for this situation. What happens if I go to respond to him and then he replies. It will end with King Vijaya saying if he did not come here, these problems would not have taken place,” an irate Wickremesinghe said.

Cabraal during his briefing on the country’s current economic situation blamed the previous administration for the present crisis. 

The UNP leader did not take kindly to the remarks and said the conference was convened by the President at the request made by the SLFP to discuss the economic situation in the country and ways to overcome challenges .“This is not a time to play narrow political games,” he added.

At this juncture, the President intervened and apologised to the UNP leader if the Governor’s remarks had upset him.

“We did not convene this meeting to blame anyone. This is not a political exercise but a genuine attempt to find a solution to the county’s problems,” the President emphasised.

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