Kabir responds to Cabraal's accusations

COLOMBO (News 1st): Opposition lawmaker Kabir Hashim has responded to claims made by State Minister Ajith Nivard Cabraal on the previous government in Jaffna last week. Cabraal had claimed that the previous government had not obtained debt to construct towers, ports, cricket stadiums, conference halls, or luxurious restrooms for the country's leaders. "We obtained loans worth 2.9 Billion US Dollars from the Asian Development Bank. These loans are currently funding several projects that are being carried out under the purview of the ADB," Hashim, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya lawmaker said. He observed that Sri Lanka's Gross Domestic Product had exceeded Rs 15 trillion under the previous administration and that Sri Lanka's GDP had grown by Rs 5 trillion. Hashim alleged that the present Government raised debt amounting to Rs. 2.85 trillion - the highest amount of debt raised in a period of one year after gaining independence. He pointed out that as per the 2021 budget, the Government plans on raising debt amounting to Rs 2.9 trillion. He further questioned what progress the Government had made in the face of accruing such a significant amount on debt.