Ravi to make special statement on fiscal situation

Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake yesterday said that he planned to deliver a special statement on the fiscal situation, debunking the bankrupt Opposition.

He made this remark during an address to media following his meeting with a CIMA delegation,

Minister Karunanayake said: “I am ready to make a special statement on the fiscal situation of the country within the next couple of days. We will also explain how the emerging global economic trends would impact the country’s economy.

Whatever the global situation is, our main thrust is to strengthen the country’s economy.”

“The bankrupt Opposition is levelling baseless allegations against the Government, claiming that we are going to privatise certain public sector institutions. We have to remind them that we have already removed the term ‘privatisation’ from our dictionary. What we want to do is streamline the management of some public sector institutions,” Karunanayake said.

“I would like to emphatically state that this should not be construed as Government giving up its responsibilities. Last year alone, the loss incurred by SriLankan Airlines amounted to Rs. 13.2 billion. We have taken measures to rectify this situation. We are also ready to probe the rampant corruption at the Petroleum Corporation. The Opposition which is taking about privatisation today seems to have forgotten how they tried to sell our land to foreigners.”   

“We are already discussing underlying issues with economists and other experts in the field. I would also like to take this opportunity to make an appeal to the relevant stakeholders to submit their proposals for the Budget to be presented on 20 November. We are ready to discuss them and accommodate all good proposals in the Budget,” Minister Karunanayake added.