The JVP/NPP has urged Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe, the governor of the Central Bank, to retract his recent claim that agreements made with the IMF cannot be changed and to desist from making remarks that advance the agenda of President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, a former JVP MP and member of the NPP Executive Committee, stressed during a press conference at the JVP Headquarters in Pelawatte on Thursday, March 29, that Dr. Weerasinghe, being a state official, ought to be aware that agreements with the IMF are subject to review.According to Dr. Jayatissa, Dr. Weerasinghe recently declared that agreements that have already been signed cannot be changed through dialogue, and he warned that trying to do so could have disastrous consequences for the nation. Dr. Jayatissa stated, “We are calling for clarification on this statement.”
“JVP/NPP calls on the CB Governor to elucidate the terms of the IMF agreement and give national interests precedence over political influence.”
Dr. Weerasinghe has an obligation to put the needs of the nation above political considerations in his capacity as the Governor of the Central Bank and an authority in his field. The governor’s recent remarks seem to be more in line with President Wickremesinghe’s wishes. There have been central bank governors in the past who have sided with political elites. Their actions contributed to the nation’s economic problems, and the Supreme Court held one of these governors accountable for economic bankruptcy. Everywhere in the world, reviewing agreements is customary, particularly upon the election of a new government.
Additionally, President Wickremesinghe has spoken out about the IMF. Rather than depending solely on Wickremesinghe’s remarks, the public should pay attention to the remarks made by Peter Breuer, the IMF’s Senior Mission Chief for Sri Lanka. Wickremesinghe’s remarks are largely irrelevant if IMF representatives are willing to negotiate terms with a government that is mandated by the people. He does not represent the IMF. The right to review agreements with international organisations like the World Bank and the IMF belongs to governments with popular mandates.
“We are willing to work with the IMF and ask for their assistance in order to resolve the crisis; we do not reject them. It seems that Wickremesinghe’s political agenda has absorbed the IMF project. Wickremesinghe is not handling the foreign debt situation well, as evidenced by the government’s failure to restructure it thus far. The people of this nation will make their stance known to him over the next twenty days, according to Jayatissa.
Drs. Anil Jayantha and Harshana Sooriyapperuma, members of the NPP Economic Council, attended the press conference as well.
