COLOMBO (News 1st); The dollar deficit has worsened, and the Government has not come up with a suitable alternative as of yet, says former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Issuing a special statement, the former Prime Minister pointed out that businesses, in particular, are collapsing, jobs are being lost, the middle class is declining, farmers are stranded and no effort has been taken to address these issues.

Mentioning that despite the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of countries had shown economic progress in 2020 and 2021, MP Wickremesinghe said that the main duty of the Government at the moment is to go to the International Monetary Fund and seek assistance or come up with an acceptable alternative.

However, so far neither has happened, he said, also stating that people of the country have become very angry at the moment.

Explaining that the shortage of food in the country is another problem Sri Lanka is facing, the MP said that according to sources, there will be a food shortage in the country during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year.

Adding that according to reports from many areas, the harvest of this season was 60% of the harvest of the previous season, Wickremesinghe said that the Government must also think of the political background we will have to face if such a situation arises.

The former Prime Minister explained that there would be mounting anger from the public, which would affect the Government and the Parliament in the coming years.

MP Wickremasinghe also emphasized that the Government should immediately end its ongoing negotiations with India on oil and food loans.

Adding that obtaining loans or obtaining goods will not solve the country’s foreign exchange situation, MP Wickremesinghe explained that the Government should implement programs to obtain loans for oil and food in order to obtain temporary relief at least for a certain time period.

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