- SJB denies requesting to delay IMF assistance
There was a discussion in the Parliament yesterday (23) about a meeting held between several political parties representing the Opposition, including the main Parliamentary Opposition, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), with foreign diplomats, about the Local Government (LG) elections.
Speaking in the Parliament, Chief Government Whip and Minister, Prasanna Ranatunga said that he had come to know about a discussion held between the SJB with foreign diplomats on Wednesday (22).
“We have come to know that during that meeting, the SJB has requested foreign diplomats to delay the provision of International Monetary Fund (IMF) assistance, or to provide them under strict conditions. When the people have become helpless, do not do this. If you all have made such requests, it is something that is really bad.”
The Chief Opposition Whip and SJB MP, Attorney Lakshman Kiriella stood up at this point and said that the discussion was attended by not only the SJB, but by many other political parties representing the Opposition. “We, as the joint Opposition, went and met foreign diplomats. The main topic which we discussed was the LG elections. There is nothing for us to hide. As we are signatories to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), we pointed out to them that as per Article 25 of the ICCPR (‘Every citizen shall have the right and opportunity to vote and to be elected at genuine periodic elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret ballot, guaranteeing the free expression of the will of the electors’), elections should be held on time,” he explained.
Opposition and SJB Leader, Sajith Premadasa also responded to allegations levelled by Ranatunga, and said that the SJB had never attempted to link internal affairs with financial or any other form of assistance which the country is to receive.
“Not only the SJB, the MPs who were elected to the Parliament from the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna also attended the meeting with the diplomats. During any meeting we have had with foreign diplomats and other representatives, we have never tried to link internal affairs with privileges and credit facilities which are to be received. There was a time when such programmes were there, but we do not do it anymore. We clearly pointed out to the diplomats that not holding the LG elections on time is a great damage to democracy. Sri Lanka has signed more than 20 international conventions and they all include the holding of elections on time. Therefore, the Government should be committed to implementing those provisions,” added Premadasa.
Although the LG elections were scheduled to be held on 9 March, the Finance, Economic Stabilisation and National Policies Ministry and the General Treasury had not released the required funds to the Election Commission (EC). The EC then rescheduled the LG elections to 25 April, but the required funds are yet to be released. Against this backdrop, an indefinite situation has arisen once again with regard to the holding of the LG elections.
Source By themorning.lk
