Reduce taxes, tariff; Opposition MPs tell IMF

Opposition MPs who met the visiting IMF delegation at the parliamentary complex requested them to intervene in getting the Sri Lankan government to grant tax and tariff cuts. 

Opposition MP Ravi Karunanayake told the Daily Mirror that he asked the IMF delegation to intervene in granting concessions to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) . 

"I asked the delegation as to why the IMF is not focusing on SMEs. I told them that a large number of SMEs are destroyed because of the ongoing policy of focusing on large enterprises. Also, I told them to reduce the power tariff as people cannot bear the recent electricity tariff hike. They said they will take up the matter with regard to consciousness but stressed that the IMF would like to see a cost-reflective power tariff," the MP said. 

MP Ramanathan Archuna stressed that the IMF should take up the issue of corruption with the Sri Lankan government. Accordingly, the MPs and the IMF delegation discussed the scam involving coal purchases and the scam pertaining to the 323 containers which had been cleared without inspection. 

The IMF delegation assured that they would take up the matter with the government.