If Ranil was President 3rd IMF installment will have been received by now: Manusha

If Ranil Wickremesinghe had remained as President, then the third loan installment of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) would have been received by now, former Minister Manusha Nanayakara said.

While addressing a public meeting held in Galle yesterday, he said due to the postponed budget and the incumbent government's decision to hold the general elections, that installment has been postponed indefinitely.

"The present government will try to introduce a new Constitution, and it is doubtful whether this Constitution, which is going to be introduced without consultation of the people, will try to change the status of race and religion, he said.

"The heat of the election is increasing more and more. The people who had hope, the people who were deceived by the lies, have understood that and gradually their own ideologies are changing. Many people understand that what they said are lies. Let the people understand that money is not hidden in Uganda and that fuel cannot be bought for Rs.150. After a month and a half, the youth have realized that they have been deceived.

"On November 15, a very important poya day will pass. The Katina Pinkam is held in every village these days. 

"The Maha Sangha requested the government not to hold the election on Thursday (14) as a very important poya day, the 'Katina Pooja' is on Friday (15). The Mahanayaka theras sent requests that religious activities cannot be performed, but the government did not pay attention," he said.

"The IMF loan installment will not be met next week. But a group of its representatives is scheduled to come to Sri Lanka next week. However, the IMF has a problem. How will the country's budget deficit be settled when the taxes are said to be reduced? They need to be answered. There are goals set by the IMF. How to reach these goals should be explained to them. But if Ranil Wickremesinghe was the President of this country, this installment would have been received by now.

"Unfortunately, these people set aside their premiums and took decisions for election victories regardless of the possibility of the country going bankrupt again. That is why the election was held without introducing the budget. If they have entered their future agenda and proposed a budget, the IMF can look at our agenda and take a decision. People are told that relief will be given after the budget and taxes will be reduced after the elections, while the International Monetary Fund is told to go on like this.

"You can't fool the IMF by telling lies like you fool Uncle Burampi in the village. We worked with the IMF without thinking about politics. But these people prioritised the election and put the budget aside, regardless of the IMF agenda, regardless of whether the country's economy will collapse," former Minister Manusha Nanayakkara said.