Govt. will implement IMF proposals to the letter despite any public protest, political pressure: Lalkantha

• Says country has shown remarkable progress

By Mohmed Azik

Minister of Agriculture, Land, Irrigation and Livestock Development K.D. Lalkantha asserted that the government would comply with the IMF programme regardless of public protests.

Making remarks to the press after attending the meeting of the Kandy District Coordinating Committee, he said that the government had already been implementing the programmes proposed by the IMF and that it would continue to do so.

“We are with the IMF programme. The government is not prepared to sabotage it. The government is achieving the targets as agreed with the IMF. It has been a complete success. The rest of the proposals will be fulfilled. We have to start debt servicing after 2028,” he said. “The government will not change its decisions under pressure from the Leader of the Opposition, public agitations or strikes. If required, the government will increase or reduce prices in keeping with the relevant formula. We will not succumb to pressure from the Opposition Leader, public protests or strikes, nor hesitate to take vital decisions and allow the forward march of the country to stall,” he said.

He said the situation in the country had shown remarkable progress, and the duty of the politicians is to fall in line with it.