PM swings into action to deal with problems arising from Britain’s exit from EU, appoints expert committee

diverse views on electoral reforms. For the Government, winning the support of such parties which are backing it, needless to say would be important. However, there were those who were bitterly opposed to views expressed by senior SLFPers on electoral reforms, which they say, would spell doom for their parties. This is one of the thorny issues that would become more controversial whenever electoral reforms are finally formulated.

Brexit impact on Lanka

These issues seem to have been overtaken this week by economic factors, particularly the vote by Britons to leave the European Union. Results announced on Friday showed that 51.9 percent Britons voted to quit EU whilst 48.1 percent wanted to remain. What seemed a faux pas in this regard by the Government was the task assigned to a group of Government MPs to travel to London and canvass Britons, particularly the naturalised Sri Lankans, to vote against moves to leave the EU. One need hardly say they could have swayed a hundred votes except to speak to former Sri Lankans but that is not the issue. In doing so, the Government has opened the doors for any foreign groups or even individuals to come to Sri Lanka and canvass for a person or party of their choice at an election. The philosophy it has created is that they could interfere in our internal affairs as much as we have done so. They need not fear about their visas being revoked or their being declared persona non grata. One of those who were in Britain was none other than Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Harsha de Silva. Others were Ministers Harin Fernando, Susil Premajayantha and Dayasiri Jayasekera and former UNP Parliamentarian Rosie Senanayake. All expenses including travel for Ms Senanayake were met from funds in the Prime Minister’s Office whilst in the case of all others, they were paid out by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

One of the Government’s major concerns after the vote in Britain is the feared rise in interest rates when a bond issue is announced for US$ 2.5 billion tomorrow ( Monday). The money, Government sources said, was urgently needed to pay off outstanding loans and thus prevent a further deterioration of the balance of payments situation. Within hours of the news that Britian would leave the EU, Premier Wickremesinghe swung into action.

He tasked a committee of officials to study the economic impact on Sri Lanka and recommend corrective measures. The Committee