Leave the country in capable hands to stop further debacle - Lakshman Yapa

The country’s economy is in total disaster in every aspect and not only the UNP but President Maithripal a Sirisena must also take the blame for the failure of the economic management that has brought the country to this level, member of the 16 SLFP rebel group, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardana said yesterday.

Matara District UPFA member Mr. Abeywardana who is also a former State Minister of Finance added that the UNP led ‘Yahapalana Government’ must hand over the government to the joint opposition sooner than later, to prevent a further nosedive of the country’s economy. If such situation continues, no one can save the country.

He also said the joint opposition, the SLFP rebel group, the SLPP and all other political parties, organizations and progressive fronts that oppose the UNP would field a one-and-only candidate and he/she must get the support and blessings of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

‘If the choice of Mahinda was not Maithri, we will have to turn our back to him and campaign for the victory of the candidate chosen by the former,” he emphasized.

He told media at the ‘Center of Media Freedom’ in Colombo that government has increased the government revenue by 59% between 2014 and 2017 not through investment or increased exports but by increasing taxes. The government has obtained loans at 95.4% to the GDP which was an increase from 75% in 2004. The increase of USD 963 in foreign direct investment in 2017 was the result of the payment of US$ 4.5 million by China Merchant Port Co. for the Hambantota port.

“In 2004, under the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime, the economic growth stood at 7.1% but it has come down to 3.2% by the first quarter in 2018 showing the government’s inability to properly manage the macro-economic fundamentals. It is quite obvious that the economy is not on a sound footing as the government says. Therefore, we urge the government to leave the country in capable hands before it goes out of hand,” he stressed.

Mr. Abeywardana said the government must hold a general election immediately if it does not change and the government must realize that selling State assets is not the solution to ragain the economy.

He also wants an Independent Commission to be appointed to probe the current economic issues and make recommendations on how to come out of this economic disaster and expose economic assassins who eat into the national economy. Pic by Kushan Pathiraja.

In 2004, under the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime, the economic growth stood at 7.1% but it has come down to 3.2% by the first quarter in 2018 showing the govt’s inability to properly manage the macroeconomic fundamentals