Extended Fund Facility agreement has to be amended: Sajith informs IMF

19 January 2024 09:36 pm Views - 883

Colombo, Jan 19 (Daily Mirror) -  Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa informed a group of IMF officials  that the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) agreement which their organization has signed with the Sri Lankan government has to be amended and a Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) government will do so in the future.

Premadasa made this remark when he met a group of IMF officials who are currently visiting Sri Lanka. The team includes Senior Mission Chief Peter Breuer, IMF Resident Representative Ms. Sarwat Javan and local economist Manavee Abeywickrama.

“Sajith Premadasa informed the visiting IMF team that the Sri Lankan people have been heavily affected by the huge tax burden which has been imposed on them by the Sri Lankan government. He therefore stressed the need for the amendment of the EFF agreement and added that a future SJB government will definitely go for such an amendment,” a statement from the Opposition Leader’s office said.

Meanwhile SJB MP S.M. Marikar, who referred to a meeting which the IMF team has had with the National People's Power (NPP) leaders, questioned as to why the latter has kept silent about this meeting. 

“According to the information we have received, NPP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake has not participated in this meeting. Therefore, people of this country need to know as to why Dissanayake was absent during this meeting and the details on the discussions which other NPP leaders had with the IMF team,” Marikar  said.