Sri Lanka President facilitates open dialogue with opposition on IMF proposals

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe convened a crucial party leader’s meeting at the Presidential Secretariat on Monday (March 11) to deliberate on the IMF proposals.

The meeting saw the active participation of various stakeholders, including TNA Parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran, underscoring the government’s commitment to inclusive decision-making.

During the discussions, Secretary to the Treasury Mahinda Siriwardena provided insights into the ongoing negotiations with bilateral creditors, commercial creditors, and ISBs, with an optimistic outlook toward completing the process by the end of June this year.

Notably, MP Sumanthiran raised pertinent concerns regarding the lack of published technical assistance reports of the IMF, which analyze why certain recommendations are made a necessity for the publication of analytical data to inform parliamentary deliberations.

President Wickremesinghe, acknowledging the importance of transparency, assured that the government would release the data to the TNA and Parliament, facilitating informed debate and decision-making.

Furthermore, the Central Bank Governor highlighted the government’s efforts in adhering to the recommendations outlined in the governor’s diagnostic report, emphasizing the commitment to a structured roadmap for implementation.

President Wickremesinghe affirmed the government’s willingness to make these technical assistance reports available to the members of parliament and invited MP Sumanthiran and other Opposition members to attend a meeting and engage with the IMF to further discuss the proposals.

In response, MP Sumanthiran expressed his readiness to participate constructively in the dialogue, pledging support for constructive measures while highlighting areas that warrant attention and rectification.