At a working meeting of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) in the Homagama Constituency, chaired by Minister of Transport, Highway, and Mass Media, Dr. Bandula Gunawardhana, he said that the Debt Restructuring programme initiated by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is currently being continued by President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
During his speech, Dr. Gunawardhana reflected on the 2015 Presidential election when the then Secretary General of the Party, Maithripala Sirisena entered the contest alongside Mahinda Rajapaksa as the presidential candidate. Ultimately, the leader who saved the country by becoming President had to step down.
“The people of Homagama have a historical legacy, and we successfully appointed Gotabaya Rajapaksa as President. At that time, we faced enormous challenges, including a massive debt.
After independence, Sri Lanka accumulated an unprecedented amount of debt to run the government, resulting in a downgrade. Sri Lanka was sued in Hamilton County for non-payment of this debt. Due to this financial crisis, the country struggled to import essential goods such as food, fuel, and gas, and our international reserves plummeted to zero, leading to power outages. These dire circumstances fueled unrest, incited by the JVP and extremist groups, leading to widespread turmoil across the country,” he said.
Dr. Gunawardhana highlighted that the Debt Restructuring programme initiated by former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is currently being continued by President Ranil Wickremesinghe without any modifications.
He emphasized that political problems cannot be resolved through violence, recalling the turbulent times in 1989, and noted that hatred is not a solution for issues in either the North or the South of the country.
He pointed out that the country still owes Rs 800 billion for the construction of highways, with only Rs 5 billion in annual profits from these highways.
“Accordingly, it will take another 160 years to repay the loan obtained from that total amount, a significant issue that no politician is willing to disclose to the people,” Dr. Gunawardhana explained.
“The final agreement on Debt Restructuring has not yet been signed. However, after lengthy discussions led by the President and the Prime Minister, countries such as China, India, Japan, and the Paris support group have agreed on a specific programme. Yet, this critical problem facing the country is not being debated adequately. Thus, it is crucial to present a capable individual who can address this challenge and save the country. This is our last chance, and we bear a great responsibility in this regard,” he concluded.
The meeting was attended by SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam, former Minister Gamini Lokuge, Colombo District Co-ordinator Jayantha Ketagoda, former public representatives of the area, Ajith Naragala, and Local Government election candidates.
