The United National Party has requested the government and the Governor of the Central Bank to detail their plan for economic recovery as the country is facing a severe foreign reserves crisis.
In a statement, the UNP has also requested the government to reveal whether it intends on obtaining the assistance of the International Monetary Fund.
The UNP has also raised questions over the claims made by Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal regarding conditions being laid down by the IMF.
Speaking to the media, UNP Working Committee member Dinouk Colombage, requested the Central Bank Governor to reveal what conditions have been proposed by the IMF if they were to provide assistance to the country.
Speaking further, Colombage stated that the country is facing a dollar shortage in the banks. He said “Today citizens are unable to withdraw dollars from the banks, they are forced to purchase dollars from the black market where they are being sold at over Rs. 240/-. The Government can pretend that the currency is not being devalued, but the rate that banks advertise is not the rate that citizens are able to purchase at.”
Colombage went on to request Cabraal to present the Government’s strategy regarding the depleted foreign reserves.
He said in November 2019, the UNP handed over the Government with US $7 billion in foreign reserves, and in the space of two years, the current administration has reduced the foreign reserves to US $1.3 billion.
Colombage added that if the Government is not interested in seeking the assistance of the IMF it must present an alternative plan to the public to prevent an economic disaster.
