Those who wish to come to power must have plans to repay foreign loans: Bandula

By Ajith Siriwardana

Cabinet Spokesman Minister Bandula Gunawardana said yesterday anyone who wishes to come to power during the period up to 2048 is bound to pay the loans the country has obtained and must have plans to do so.

He told the weekly Cabinet briefing that if anyone came to power deceiving the people without having any plans in advance would only put the people in crisis again just as the country experienced in the recent past. “Only 37 per cent of the total loan amount is maturing during the next five years. 51 per cent out of that is maturing between the next six years and twenty years. 12 per cent is maturing even after 20 years. So, if anyone is planning to take over the country is bound to pay the loans due during their tenure,” the Minister said.
He said those who were aspiring to take over the country must have a strategy to pay back the foreign loans which would be due during the period of their governance. 
“If they deceive the people and take over the country, the people will end up in another crisis of power, fuel, gas, fertilizer and other essentials,” he said.