‘IMF deal no panacea for all our ills’

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Gampaha District MP Dr. Nalaka Godahewa has accused the cash-strapped government of planning to sell-off profitable state enterprises to raise funds. Comparing the proposed privatization of SriLankan Catering with the sell-off of the Hambantota port, in 2017, by the Yahapalana government, Dr. Godahewa pointed out that such strategies would be disastrous, in the long term, as the Treasury lost annual income from such highly profitable ventures.

One-time Viyathmaga activist estimated the annual SriLanka Catering profits at Rs. 3bn. The government has also been accused of planning to sell-off other cash cows, like the SLT and the SLIC.

At a meeting organized by the ‘Nidahas Janatha Sabhawa,’ in Kandy, over the last weekend, lawmaker Godahewa dealt with the developing economic-political and social crisis with the focus on the controversial staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a USD 2.9 bn loan facility. Among those present were SLPP rebel group members Prof. G.L. Peiris, Prof. Charitha Herath and Prof. Channa Jayasumana.

Acknowledging the daunting challenge, faced by President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s government in coping up with the unprecedented economic fallout, Dr. Godahewa stressed that the incumbent administration couldn’t, under any circumstances, deprive the right of the Parliament to receive a copy of the agreement with the IMF.

The IMF, on September 01, announced the finalization of the agreement for what it called Extended Fund Facility (EFF) for USD 2.9 bn meant to restore macroeconomic stability and ensure debt sustainability. Demanding that the agreement be tabled in Parliament, without further delay, Dr. Godahewa alleged that the government was making a silly attempt to portray the EFF funding, made available over a four-year period, as panacea for the economic fallout.

“The developing crisis is so acute, the economic recovery cannot be solely dependent on the IMF loan facility,” Dr. Godahewa told The Island, urging the government to take the public into confidence, without further delay.

“If the Parliament is responsible for public finance and enactment of laws, there cannot be any justifiable reason to deprive its members of their right to know the contents. The issue at hand is whether the Cabinet-of-Ministers is aware of the IMF deal,” Dr. Godahewa said.

Addressing the gathering in the hill capital, lawmaker Godahewa said that the public response, as well as of theirs to the staff-level agreement, would depend on the contents of the agreement.

He urged the government to disclose the agreement on increasing of taxes, as well as services provided by the government and the impact on the hapless public. Profit-making state enterprises, guarantee a transparent process in respect of the proposed restructuring of both loss- /profit-making state enterprises, agreement on pruning of the public sector, compensation for those to be retrenched, free health and education, he said.

Dr. Godahewa said that the government couldn’t go ahead with such a far reaching agreement, without consulting all political parties represented in Parliament. The Parliament couldn’t be deprived of its legitimate right to be informed and assert overall authority regarding the agreement, Dr. Godahewa said, finding fault with the government for not taking the Parliament into confidence, before the Central Bank announced Sri Lanka’s decision to suspend repayment of debt.

At the time the CBSL Governor, Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe, made the announcement, Gotabaya Rajapaksa served as the President and head of the Cabinet-of-Ministers, whereas some described the move as a pre-emptive negotiated default.

Dr. Godahewa asserted that the government should have discussed the issue at hand with creditors before such an announcement was made. Such unilateral actions undermined political and economic stability, in addition to creditors losing confidence in the country.

Strongly condemning efforts to deceive the public, on the basis of the much-touted agreement with the IMF, Dr. Godahewa reminded the government that the promised USD 2.9 bn loan facility to be received, over a period of four years, whereas Sri Lanka needed approximately USD 4 bn for repayment of its outstanding debt this year.

Pointing out that Sri Lanka required USD 4-5 bn, over the next couple of years, to service its debt, Dr. Godahewa asked the government to divulge how it intended to address the daunting task.

The MP warned President Wickremesinghe, and the SLPP, not to refrain from settling the debt during the remainder of Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s presidency.

The SLPP, on July 20, ensured the election Wickremesinghe by Parliament, as the 8th President, to complete the remainder of his predecessor’s term. Gotabaya Rajapaksa was elected in Nov 2019 for a five-year period, with a thumping majority.

Dr. Godahewa said that a tangible action plan was needed as the country experienced a USD 5 bn deficit in income and expenditure. Therefore, the SLPP-led government couldn’t overcome the crisis, through political jugglery, and effective measures were required to increase the income. The one-time Chairman of the highly profitable Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation asserted that foreign reserves should be increased to at least USD 10 bn. That would be the key to solving the crisis, Dr. Godahewa said, strongly criticizing the government for not addressing the issue seriously.

Lawmaker Godahewa said that the government shouldn’t exploit the balance of payments crisis to sell off national assets. Referring to the giving away of the Hambantota port on a 99-year lease by the Yahapalana administration, Dr. Godahewa asked whether anyone knew how USD 1.1, received from the Chinese deal, was spent.

During thenCOPE proceedings, several months ago, both the Finance Ministry and SLPA officials admitted that they weren’t aware how USD 1.1 bn was spent.