UPFA takes Govt.’s bond scam, economic ills to IMF, WB, ADB

By Jayashika Padmasiri

A group of United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) MPs yesterday complained to the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) representative in Sri Lanka against the Government’s economic policy and the controversial Central Bank bond issue.

UPFA MPs G.L. Peiris, Bandula Gunawardane and Dullas Alahapperuma lodged their complaint at the Central Bank last morning.

Addressing the media after doing so, Peiris accused the Government of trying to cover up large-scale fraudulent activities.

“Through the actions of this Government the economy of this country has been destroyed and the repercussions will be felt for 30 years. The Central Bank Governor should take responsibility for the damage he has done to the country’s economy. Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran also functions as an IMF Additional Director, therefore the IMF has a right to know about Mahendran,” Peiris stated.  

Bandula Gunawardane, Prof G.L. Peiris and Dullas Alahapperuma yesterday lodged a complaint with the IMF against the Government’s economic policy - Pic by Shehan Gunasekara

He also revealed that they had already complained about these issues to the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank.

Gunawardane told the media that neither the Government nor the Finance Minister was taking any steps concerning the economic crisis faced by the country. He added that the UPFA was in the process of bringing two no-confidence motions against the Prime Minister and Finance Minister.  

Alahapperuma thanked the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) for bringing Mahendran’s actions into the limelight and compared the conduct of the United National Party (UNP) and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to that of pickpockets in Pettah. He said that they were trying to deflect attention from the controversy surrounding Mahendran by branding various people thieves.  

The UPFA MPs also stated that they did not trust this Government or the Prime Minister with the task of issuing money.