Former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe says that the US dollar shortage has resulted in a serious situation in the country and that it has reached a point where the people are no longer able to bear this burden. 

He stated that businesses are collapsing, people are losing jobs, the middle class is deteriorating and the farmers are left stranded. “Solutions are urgently required for these,” he said, issuing a statement to the media today (28). 

The UNP leader said that despite the Covid-19 pandemic, many countries have shown economic progress in the year 2021 and that Sri Lanka too should resolve its issues. 

“Therefore the government has a responsibility to immediately go to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and obtain aid or else it should present an acceptable alternative,” he stressed, while adding that “both those things have not happened.” 

Wickremesinghe said that today the people of the country are in anger.

The UNP parliamentarian added that in addition to this the country is now having to face another problem, which is the food shortage that is going to occur in Sri Lanka.

He said that based on the information they are receiving a food shortage is likely to occur in the country around the time of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year. He said that many regions are reporting that this year’s harvest will be only around 60% of the harvest from the previous time. 

The former PM warned against angering the general public which could have drastic impacts on the government as well as the parliament and therefore called for the prevention of such a situation in order to develop the country. 

He sternly urged the government to immediately conclude its discussions and agreements with India to obtain fuel and food on credit. 

Wickremesinghe said that obtaining loans or obtaining goods on loan will not resolve the country’s foreign exchange crisis. However, he urged the government to implement the process to obtain fuel and food on credit in order to at least get a temporary reprieve.