Omalpe Thera calls for general election

“… as the country will not receive any aid until a legitimate government is in power”

By M.B. Pahalawatta

Sri Lanka needs to have a general election soon as the country will not receive any aid until a legitimate government is in power, Ven. Omalpe Sobitha Thera, Chief Sanghanayake (Dakshina Lankawa) of the Ramanna Nikaya, said.

“People in this country need to be given an opportunity to elect a new government, too. This is not an excuse for the government to delay elections. The Parliament must be dissolved, in March, and a General Election needs to be held,” the Thera said.

The Thera added that the disastrous economic policies of successive governments have led Sri Lanka to this crisis.

“Sri Lanka is now going from country to country with a begging bowl in hand. The President must use his powers to dissolve the Parliament, in March. Until a stable and legitimate government is established, Sri Lanka will not receive any international aid. No matter what the current government says, no country has come forth to offer bridging finance, and why would they?” he asked.

The Thera said that he personally sees no point in holding local council elections. Local councils do not have the power to change the government policies and it will only be an indication of how people feel.