Former Deputy Leader of the United National Party and Parliamentarian Ravi Karunanayake said that the severe challenges posed by natural disasters will have a direct impact on the country’s future debt repayment process.
He noted that Sri Lanka’s loan programme with the International Monetary Fund is scheduled to conclude in 2026, and stressed that the government must begin preparing for a new programme in 2027.
Ravi Karunanayake said that if a supplementary budget estimate becomes necessary under the current circumstances, it should be presented only after a proper assessment of the impact of Cyclone Ditva. He added that he proposes reallocating the expenditures already planned for this year to address the situation.
Referring to the President’s statement that Rs. 30 billion has been allocated for disaster response, the MP said that this amount is insufficient to deal with a disaster of this magnitude.
He further pointed out that the after-effects of the disaster could last for several months, and that the manner in which the situation is managed will largely depend on the actions taken by the government.
