Sri Lanka’s Minister of Agriculture, Land, Irrigation and Livestock Development, K.D. Lalkantha, has reiterated the government’s firm commitment to fully implementing the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme, regardless of public dissent or political opposition.
Speaking to the press following a meeting of the Kandy District Coordinating Committee, Lalkantha declared that the government would not waver from the economic path charted under the IMF’s guidance, even in the face of protests or political pressure.
“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 stated .
Lalkantha made clear that no amount of public agitation, strikes, or pressure from the opposition would compel the administration to deviate from its course
“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 added. The minister also asserted that Sri Lanka’s economic situation had shown “remarkable progress” under the IMF’s oversight and called on fellow politicians to align themselves with the direction of the government’s policy agenda.
The comments come as Sri Lanka continues to implement structural reforms demanded by the IMF in exchange for financial assistance, following an unprecedented economic collapse in 2022.
The ruling National People’s Power (NPP) coalition ran on a platform of renegotiating the IMF deal prior to presidential and parliamentary elections last year.
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