Petroleum from Iran will affect country’s economy: Ranil

TAG: BY JAYASENA HATHWELLA

Leader of the Opposition Ranil Wickremesinghe said the import of petroleum from Iran seriously affected the country’s economy and that the gover nment was making a futile attempt to keep it a secret from the people.

Addressing the invitees at the opening ceremony of the Asiri Phar maceutical Centre in Godagama he said the import of oil from Iran amid protest of several countries including America worsened the economic crisis facing the country.

“Governor of the Central Bank has said that the gover nment will be compelled to depend on a loan from the Inter national Monetary Fund to meet the colossal expenditure on import of oil from Iran. The Central Bank has taken steps to draw a loan of US$ 5000 million from the IMF. However the IMF has refused to grant a loan in view of the unstable dollar price,” he said.

He added that the people who are already facing hardship due to the high cost of living would be further burdened with economic constraints by next month and if the gover nment continued the UNP’S economic policy the country would not have faced the present crisis.president of the Godagama Trader Association Nihal Gunaratne, General Secretary of the UNP Tissa Attanayake, Leader of the Opposition of the Wester n Provincial Council Sudath Manju Sri Arangala and several local politicians addressed the gathering.