IMF working with a government without a mandate – Handunnetti

By Saman Indrajith

President Ranil Wickremesinghe had told opposition political parties that they would be given an opportunity to meet a high powered International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation last Monday to discuss the IMF programme, but he had not invited representatives of the IMF to the discussion, National People’s Power (NPP) stalwart and former MP, Sunil Handunnetti told journalists in Colombo on Thursday (14) after attending a meeting with the IMF.

The two sides met yesterday at a hotel in Colombo.NPP representatives had inquired from the IMF officials the current state of Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring, Handunnetti told journalists.

IMF had no idea. They said they have to ask the government,” he said.

“We also told them that they work with the Ranil Wickremesinghe administration that does not have a popular mandate.

“Such a government cannot solve the economic crisis,” he said.

Handunetti added that the government had appointed Rohitha Abeygunawardena as the head of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE). This committee plays an important role in maintaining the parliament’s hold on public finances.

“What is the message that the government gave by appointing Abeygunawardena? We told IMF representatives that by appointing Abeygunawardena the government has shown its blatant disregard to any conventions or decorum. We also told the IMF that Sri Lanka needs elections so that people could elect a government that they think can dig the country out of the economic hole,” Handunnetti said.