23 December 2019 08:31 am
All international agreements including the MCC, ACSA and SOFA should be abolished as per the mandate given by the Sri Lankan people to the present government at the last presidential election, National Democratic Front (NDF) Presidential Candidate Sajith Premadasa said over the weekend.
Speaking to the party members in Kirillawala on Saturday, Mr Premadasa said he, as the new leader of Opposition, would get his party to support the government if it decided to cancel the signing of the Millennium Challenge Corporation Agreement, Acquisition and Cross Serving Agreement and Status of Forces Agreement.
“Those in the government said these agreements including the MCC will be torn into pieces and the people of this country had given a mandate for it. Therefore the government should fulfil its promise and we will support such a move," Mr Premadasa said.
He said the time had come for the country to compile policies to face challenges of the future. One such challenge he said was the climate change which could bring disasters such as flash floods. Some islands he said could perish in the future.
Mr Premadasa who touched on the economic policies which Sri Lanka should adopt said export-led growth should be fine as it is globally accepted policy today. However, he said Sri Lanka should also diversify its export markets so that it would not be affected by any embargoes if it has to face such a situation in the future.
Also, Mr Premadasa said he would change the opposition’s role and bring about a new political culture. (Yohan Perera)