Finance Ministry Secretary Mahinda Siriwardena on Tuesday pointed out that using the term ‘financial bankruptcy’ is not technically correct as the government has not declared financial bankruptcy in the country. He emphasized on Tuesday that the government had only announced the temporary suspension of the payment of selected loans for a certain period.
Siriwardena was testifying before the Parliamentary Select Committee to examine the reasons for the financial bankruptcy announced by the government and report to the Parliament and submit proposals and recommendations last Tuesday.
The Select committee met in Parliament under the chairmanship of MP Sagara Kariyawasam.
Accordingly, he pointed out that using the term financial bankruptcy is not technically correct. However, the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance pointed out that the decision taken to temporarily suspend the payment of loans for a certain period was a decision taken by the government after a lengthy discussion and said that the decision was made using proper methods.
The chairman of the committee pointed out that there is a widespread opinion within society that a stock of Central Bank money had been transported to Uganda by air to weaken the country economically. Accordingly, he questioned the Finance Ministry Secretary whether there is any possibility of taking the money in the Central Bank to another country. The Secretary, who responded said that as far as he knows, it cannot be done in that manner.Pointing out that this economic crisis is the result of many years, the Finance Ministry Secretary said that this should be the last time that Sri Lanka joins a programme of the International Monetary Fund. He pointed out that the reforms to be carried out should be carried out immediately and measures are being taken for that. Committee member MPs S. B. Dissanayake, Jayantha Ketagoda, Major Pradeep Undugoda, Sanjeewa Edirimanne and Prof.Ranjith Bandara were present.
