1500-day economic plan another failed project: JO

The Joint Opposition’s economic research unit yesterday charged that the 1,500-day economic plan which was expected to be announced within the next two weeks by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, would be another unsuccessful project of the government.

Addressing a media briefing, joint opposition member MP Bandula Gunawardana said the fate of the 1,500-day economic plan of the government would be the same as its hundred day programme of ‘Good Governance’.

“The government has failed in every endeavor it has tried to do so far. Mr. Wickremesinghe is directly announcing his proposal as it is a concept of the United National Party (UNP). These kinds of plans are not accepted by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP),” he added.

He said the 1,500-day economic plan put forward by Mr. Wickremesinghe would be an unrealistic move and only a blended development could be expected from such plans.

Meanwhile, the joint opposition requested for a presidential commission from President Maithripala Sirisena to probe the Central Bank bond issue, causing a financial loss of Rs.1.6 billion to the treasury.

He said Perpetual Treasuries Limited, the controversial primary dealer connected to the family of the former Central Bank Governor, Arjuna Mahendran, has made an profit after-tax of Rs. 5.1 billion which has exceeded the annual profit rate of a local bank.

Commenting on the merging of Mihin Lanka with SriLankan Airlines from October 30, he said the Government was on a mission to sell all the local-based companies to fulfill the agreement struck with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). (Kalathma Jayawardhane)