Although Sajith Premadasa declined the offer of Premiership by former President Gotabaya, if late R. Premadasa or J.R. Jayawardena were given an opportunity like this it would not be missed, President Ranil Wickremesinghe said.
Addressing the gathering at the distribution of appointment letters
for United National Party (UNP) seat organizers held at Sirikotha
party headquarters today (02), he highlighted that no political party
currently possesses a viable plan for bringing the country forward.
Consequently, he encouraged anyone with such a plan to present it, and
if not, to endorse the Economic Transformation Law for the future of
the country.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe stressed that with the stabilization of
the country’s economy; there should be no inclination towards
traditional politics. He underscored that the country can only be
moved forward through a structured plan.
Hence, the President urged everyone to endorse the government’s
program without resorting to criticism. He remarked that while
criticizing is effortless, finding solutions is challenging.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe, adding further commentary, stated:
Four years ago, we entered an election driven by a singular issue: the
dire state of our country’s economy. The repercussions of the Budget
2020 tax cuts were clear to us: a loss of revenue, a drain on foreign
exchange. We emphasized the urgent need for a USD 03 billion reserve,
but our message was met with skepticism. Some of ours departed to
establish the SJB, without fully understanding our messages.
While the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and Sri Lanka Podujana
Peramuna (SLPP) mocked and criticized us. The United National Party
(UNP) stood alone. However, we did not falter. Our party is committed
to truth, no matter how difficult it may be to convey.
If we had found that money together back then, we would not be
suffering like this today. Our economy would not be on the verge of
collapse. When we faced trouble and sought help from other countries,
India came to our aid with only USD 3.5 billion. That was only USD 500
million more than what we initially anticipated. It is no surprise
that the value increased after two years. In 2020, it was only USD 03
billion. With that USD 3.5 billion, we managed to keep the economy
afloat for one and a half years. If the United National Party had been
elected to receive that USD 03 billion in 2020, our country would not
be in such dire straits.
There was no food, no fertilizer, no fuel, no factories, and no
sources of income. The impact was widespread. That’s when the struggle
began, directed against the government of SLPP. However, on May 09,
when they reached Galle Face, Opposition Leader and MP Anura
Dissanayake was ousted.
Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa proposed to Mr. Sajith Premadasa
to assume the role of Prime Minister after the resignation of Prime
Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. However, he declined the offer. If Mr. R.
Premadasa or Mr. J.R. Jayawardena were in charge, this opportunity
would not have been missed. That is the essence of the true United
National Party.
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna also faltered. None of them had a viable
solution. Their adherence to old politics and deceit left them without
answers.
I fearlessly embraced the role of Prime Minister because I have a
solution with me. I acted decisively, knowing that our country’s
economy could be revitalized if we secured the promised USD 03
billion. From that point on, I dedicated myself to advancing the
country’s economy. The impact of these efforts was evident in the
joyful celebrations of Christmas 2023, the last Sinhala Tamil New
Year, and Vesak.
Today, farmers are reaping the rewards of a bountiful harvest.
However, our journey out of this crisis is not yet complete. It is
only through this approach that we can gradually restore normalcy to
day-to-day life. The “Aswasuma” program has provided a threefold benefit
to our people than “Samurdhi”. Additionally, rice subsidies have been
extended to low-income individuals, and the “Urumaya” program grants
free land rights. In the upcoming month, 50,000 low-income residents
living in Colombo flats will receive rightful ownership of their homes.
When considering the state of our country today, by the end of 2023,
our debt had soared to USD 83 billion, which equates to Rs. 28,000
billion. This figure surpasses our total Gross Domestic Product. It’s
challenging to escape such debt when it surpasses our annual income.
To tackle this, we must forge ahead by generating new sources of
revenue. We have agreed with the International
Monetary Fund (IMF) outlining how we can achieve economic stability
over the next five years. We must adhere to this
agreement; otherwise, we risk losing their support in the future.