National Freedom Front (NFF) leader Wimal Weerawansa, MP, has declared that an all-party government inclusive of the JVP will able to overcome the current economic crisis.

The former JVP heavyweight said so at a media briefing held at the party office in Pita Kotte.

Weerawansa said that the JVP’s inclusion would help the proposed administration to win the confidence of the international community. The former Industries Minister Weerawansa noted that the JVP no longer demanded President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s resignation. Instead, it vowed to make economic recovery possible within six months. Therefore, a new administration that included the JVP could turn around the economy fast he said.

The JVP parliamentary group comprises three members, including one appointed on the National List.

The erstwhile JVPer said that the current crisis had created an environment for the interested parties to do away with Ceypetco’s domination of the oil market. The lawmaker said Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera’s recent declaration that the market would be opened to foreign players meant an attempt was being made to privatize this vital sector.

MP Weerawansa asked whether Minister Wiejesekera had disputed the then Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike’s decision to establish the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) at the expense of foreign entities.

Lanka IOC entered Sri Lanka market in 2003. Minister Wijesekera over the last weekend revealed that Lanka IOC wanted to set up 50 new service stations and take over a section of Ceypetco facilities as part of the overall measures to overcome the current crisis.

MP Weerawansa said that at the time UNP leader Wickremesinghe had faith in him. Unfortunately, he had not only lost public faith but was taking advantage of the crisis to pursue a strategy inimical to Sri Lanka. The former minister alleged that the incumbent government was exploiting the crisis to facilitate external interventions, particularly that of India.

Reiterating his call for an all-party caretaker board comprising Opposition Leader, the Premier’s representative as well as members of other political parties to decide on foreign currency account managed by the Central Bank, the NFF leader said that the current government should take tangible measures to regain lost public confidence. The ex-minister said had that happened Sri Lankans living overseas would contribute lavishly.

MP Weerawansa also stressed the urgent need to take legal measures to compel exporters to bring back export proceeds to the country.

The former minister strongly criticized the failure on the part of the government to take advantage of Russian oil like other Asian countries in the wake of unilateral sanctions imposed by the West over the war in Ukraine. MP Weerawansa pointed out that India had exploited the situation to its advantage whereas our incumbent government dragged its feet.

The MP dismissed two ministers undertaking a hastily arranged visit to Moscow to explore ways and means of securing gas and oil. The former JVPer said that Sri Lanka could end up addressing such matters with Russia in a shoddy manner.

The NFF leader also attacked the proposal to set up sea line of communications between South India and the Jaffna peninsula. The minister said that the country was entering dangerous grounds as the situation turned for the worse with civil life disrupted (SF)