Opposition to boycott today’s meeting with IMF

Posted by Editor on March 11, 2024 – 7:32 am

Opposition Chief Sajith Premadasa has turned down President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s invitation to a gathering with a visiting IMF delegation, in the present day.

The Nationwide Individuals’s Energy (NPP), led by the JVP, and the TNA, have additionally rejected the President’s invitation to in the present day’s assembly, however TNA MP MA Sumanthiran is prone to meet the IMF delegation in the present day, in accordance with sources.

The Opposition Chief’s Secretary, Thasith DB Wijayagunawardene, has written to the Secretary to the President, E. M. S. B. Ekanayake that Premadasa is not going to attend in the present day’s assembly with the IMF delegates. He has stated in his letter: “The Workers Stage Settlement with the IMF was reached on September 01, 2022, whereas Government Board Approval was obtained on March 20, 2023.

“All through this era, the Opposition constantly requested on the ground of Parliament that the Authorities ought to share with the Opposition the contents of the settlement. The Opposition did so within the nationwide curiosity as a result of, at the moment, constructive options might have been taken into consideration, and the Opposition was desperate to contribute their concepts and insights to make sure an settlement which might confer optimum advantages on our nation.

“Regrettably, nonetheless, the federal government persistently refused to take Parliament into its confidence, and insisted on dealing with the negotiations unilaterally.

“In marked distinction, the federal government later determined to position the settlement earlier than Parliament for debate, and even wished a vote taken on it.

“The Chief of the Opposition and the Members of the Opposition have emphatically expressed their disagreement to the federal government’s initiative in imposing a disproportionate burden on the Staff’ Provident Fund, in flagrant violation of the norms of social fairness. Within the identify of ‘optimization’ the brunt of the nationwide debt must be borne by sections of the group least in a position to bear the burden.

“So far as main bond holders and inter nationwide sovereign bond holders are involved, there seems to be hardly any measurable progress, regardless of repeated assurances that settlement is imminent.

“In these circumstances, the Chief of the Opposition is of the view that the invitation

prolonged to him is clearly disingenuous and missing in good religion. Due to this fact, the chief of the Opposition needs to convey the message that he is not going to attend the assembly.

“Nevertheless, he needs to reiterate that he and the Members of the Opposition are always ready to have interaction with representatives of the IMF from the standpoint of safety of the nationwide curiosity, as they’ve readily executed prior to now.”

NPP Propaganda Secretary MP Vijitha Herath has stated that his occasion is not going to attend in the present day’s assembly.

State Finance Minister Shehan Semasinghe, addressing the media yesterday in Anuradhapura, lambasted the Opposition for its choice to boycott in the present day’s assembly. He stated the Opposition ought to act responsibly whereas the federal government was attempting to allow the nation to return out of the current financial disaster.

(Supply: The Island – By Saman Indrajith)