Directionless Sri Lanka must go for polls: Harsha

• Government MPs espousing varying expectations on IMF deal
• Two-faced approaches cannot yield positive results for people

By Darshana Abayasingha 

Sri Lanka is adrift and directionless, and steps into 2023 with great many unknowns as the Government has failed to provide a roadmap to its people, avers SJB MP Dr. Harsha De Silva. 

Parliamentary Committee on Public Finance Chairman pointed to media reports stating the Central Bank for the first time since 2008 has not laid out a roadmap for 2023. 

Alongside that, different factions of Government keep saying the IMF bailout will come in December, perhaps January whilst other say May or June. Accordingly, De Silva says Sri Lanka is akin to a vehicle running on a road with its GPS off and is clueless on where it will end up on the map.

“It is easier to know where we are going on a map, but we don’t know. Then Governor Cabraal said in 2021 October that he had a roadmap to collect $ 12 billion in 2022 which would be updated this year. The Central Bank now says such roadmaps have led us to this predicament, where instead of going to Kotte it has gone to Beliatta. But there is no idea whatsoever as to where we are going next year.”

The SJB MP expressed hope the Government has a plan how to survive and help people meet their basic needs should the country fail to reach an agreement with the IMF on the proposed disbursement of an aid package of close to $ 3 billion. He said Government must draw up contingencies to face up to such a situation, but expressed little confidence in its ability to do so. 

De Silva said Sri Lanka and its economy face a myriad of questions in the coming year including controlling inflation, interest rates, domestic debt restructuring, balance of payments, the IMF deal and many more. Compounding all these issues is the fact the current Government led by President Ranil Wickremesinghe does not have a cohesive plan for the economy, De Silva states. 

“The only alternative we see is to form a new Government that can present a workable plan that is acceptable to both the international community and the Sri Lankan public. I really don’t know if the public at large understands the gravity of the predicament we face. I doubt if people paid attention to some of the things I said for instance. 

“However, I have demonstrated that my predictions on the economy are far more consistent than some of those made by the likes of ‘Gnaana Akka’. Therefore, I hope people would pay some attention rather than tell us later we didn’t warn them,” the MP said. 

De Silva opined the present Government is unable to draw up a plan to tackle the ongoing economic issues faced by the country. They say one thing to the international community and another to the people, countries cannot be governed in this manner, he said. 

De Silva lamented that the leadership is yet to submit to Parliament or even Cabinet the modalities concerning the discussions with the IMF and other multilateral agencies. 

“Now they say there is no roadmap for 2023. How can we run a country like this? This is why the people must be given the mandate to choose a Government of their choice that exercises the will of the people. President Ranil Wickremesinghe can exercise this option from March next year,” he stated. 

De Silva pointed to the 10-point plan presented by the SJB in August this year that was later tabled in Parliament, and stated his party will execute this detailed plan rather than resort to rhetoric on election platforms. 

He charged the present regime has no answers to the problems and plight faced by 99% of the population of this country, and is once again trying to win votes by highlighting white elephant projects that had brought this country to its knees. 

“I believe we need to curb some of the privileges enjoyed by parliamentarians and ministers. There is so much excess. There has to be general consensus on that. If the members of Parliament are genuinely concerned and have come to work for the people, I don’t see why there should be any problem in doing that. Alongside that there must be a declaration of assets and income by all members and senior officials to improve governance,” said the SJB Treasurer.