SJB claims China, India delaying debt restructuring as they have no faith in govt.

By Akitha Perera

The proces of debt restructuring had hit a snag as neither China nor India had any faith in the current administration, Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) MP, Ajith Mannapperuma said.

He told The Island that the government was trying to create the impression that China and India were deliberately delaying debt restructuring.

“The people are unable to satisfy their basic needs. India has given us a credit line worth one billion dollars. Instead of negotiating and ensuring that we can spend most of it on food and medicine, the government has purchased 500 vehicles for the police. The government knows that the people are angry and soon they will take to the streets. Therefore, it is trying to equip the police to suppress the people,” he said.

MP Mannapperuma said that the country’s economy had shrunk by 11.8 percent in the third quarter of 2022, compared to 2021. “This is the biggest economic downturn in Sri Lankan history,” he said.

“About 6.1 million people are facing food insecurity. I think another 10 million are in trouble. The government has no solution to any of the problems faced by the people. It has been waiting for IMF aid since April. We still haven’t got any money from the IMF. We have not got any bridging finance. The government has done nothing to improve the situation in a sustainable manner,” he said.

President Wickremesinghe and his ministers spoke a lot about renewable energy after they came into power, the SJB MP said. However, in the past few months not a megawatt of renewable energy had been added to the national grid, he said.

“They will start talking about renewables when the Adani group is ready to launch its energy projects in the country. Everything this government does is suspect,” Mannapperuma said.