27 January 2023 06:23 pm Views - 1951
Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) is unique as its members who have different views are able to come to an agreement at the end of the day, MP Harsha de Silva said today.
“One may think that I, MPs Kabir Hashim and Eran Wickremeratne are bent towards the open market economy while our leader Sajith Premadasa is bent towards a social market economy. This could be true and such a scenario is good as we are always able to come to an agreement and be flexible,” Dr. de Silva told a media briefing.
Also he said Sri Lanka would not have faced a debt restructuring issue it sought IMF assistance in 2020. “Sri Lanka would not have faced a debt restructuring issue if it sought IMF assistance in 2020. Government seemed to be making an effort to revive the economy but it focuses only on one side of the coin. It looked at only economic reforms but did not look at social justice. However, one should look at both sides,” he said.
MP Hashim said SJB was happy to note Jathika Jana Balawegaya leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake talking of a social market economy and on restructuring of state institutions. “We are happy about the JJB stance but one should remember that it was them who opposed the restructuring of state resources when the UNP government of 2001 went ahead with it. The UNP government of 2001 went in the right direction and the country would have not faced a crisis today if the country was allowed to go on that right path,” he said.(Yohan Perera)