IMF agreement NOT signed - Susil tells P'ment

COLOMBO (News 1st); Leader of the House Minister Susil Premajayantha on Thursday (8) said that no agreement has been signed with the Staff Delegation of the International Monetary Fund.

Minister Susil Premajayantha noted that the Sri Lankan Authorities have 'reached' a Staff-Level Agreement with the International Monetary Fund.

He said there is a clear difference between reaching an agreement and signing an agreement noting that parties are bound to the contents of the agreement only after it is signed.

Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the Leader of the National People's Power said the people have a reasonable right to be made aware of the IMF Agreement, as it is not a mere land transfer agreement between two parties, but one that is linked to Sri Lank's economy.

He expressed alarm over the fact that the Cabinet of Ministers was not made aware of the contents of the agreement, and noted that the if the contents are concealed from Parliament, and the Public it could be detrimental to the people and the economy of the country.

Independent MP Professor G. L. Peiris warned that the government will have to implement reforms before the Executive Board of the IMF grants approval for the agreement, and some of the terms agreed to will come into effect when the 2023 Budget is presented to Parliament in November 2022. 

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said that Sri Lanka's tax system is lopsided where around 20% of progressive, and 80% is regressive.

He said if the government's call for the opposition is to work together, the other parties must be made aware of the contents of agreements that have been reached. 

He slammed the Leader of the House for reading out from pieces of paper, and that ad-hoc decision led to the country's disastrous situation.

The Leader of the House hit back noting that he has a clear understanding of differences in the economy.