Marikkar says IMF is not a panacea for current crisis

SJB spokesman MP S.M. Marikkar 

• Accuses Govt. of failing to implement a single revenue-generating program
• Claims the country’s problems remain and people are being forced to make difficult decisions 
• Stresses that history has proved that one man cannot rebuild Sri Lanka 
• Only team can rebuild Sri Lanka 

The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) spokesman MP S.M. Marikkar yesterday slammed the Government for its failure to implement any new revenue-making programs. 

“The IMF is not a panacea for the current crisis. It is only a form of assistance. The panacea is to create new revenue-making ventures. However, excessive taxes, hiked tariffs or fuel prices, selling off state assets or obtaining more loans are not revenue-making ventures,” he noted. 

Marikkar opined that the Government must act as a regulator. “We must obtain loans to commence new businesses and not for sustenance. Show us one new venture initiated by the Government,” he said. 

The MP said the reality is far different to the development portrayed by the Government. According to him, though the long queues for necessities have disappeared, the real issues of the people have not. He pointed out that 7.5 million people have fallen into poverty. “The recent World Bank report has found that one-third of the population has become poor. If poverty has increased twofold since last year then how can we say the country has developed?” he asked.

Marikkar noted that people are being forced to make difficult decisions in relation to their lives due to the current situation. “Though one plants news stories with photos of people swarming at malls in Colombo it does not mean the country has developed. The problems remain like burning embers,” he noted. 

He also accused the ruling party of being keen on its internal issues and lack of ministerial positions rather than the issues faced by the country.