ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka Prime Minister Ranil Wikcremesinghe should resign from the post of Finance Minister for delaying dollar earning avenues and for “planning for disaster”, newly sworn in ruling party MP and business tycoon Dhammika Perera said, challenging Wickremesinghe for a debate.
Speaking in Colombo Wednesday July 06 morning, Perera said Wickremesinghe has no appetite to resolve Sri Lanka’s ongoing dollar crisis.
“All of Sri Lanka’s economic challenges are linked to the dollar crisis. The Finance Minister plans to borrow money from friends. He has no future cashflow planning for the country,” he said, reading from a document.
“The minister delayed all matters related to dollar earning, borrowing, bridging finance, avaialble credit lines and essential goods credit line. I think for these reasons the minister of finance should resign,” he said.
Speaking impromptu, he told reporters that he will “not allow such things to happen to the country”.
“I too will come out in support of the aragalaya. We cannot resolve the people’s problems by staying silent,” he added.
Perera challenged Wickremesinghe and some 10 economists said to be advising him to come to an open debate on the latter’s handling of Sri Lanka’s economic crisis, the worst since Independence.
“I will not allow this country to be dragged to a disaster from now on. I challenge him and the media to bring him out. I am ready without a script or piece of paper to do that with him,” he said. (Colombo/Jul06/2022)
