Former Deputy Leader of the United National Party (UNP) and Member of Parliament Ravi Karunanayake has urged the government to take a more proactive and careful approach in its negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
In an interview with ceylonwire.lk, Karunanayake emphasized that the IMF was originally established to facilitate international trade and provide financial assistance to member countries.
However, he noted that the approach currently being applied to Sri Lanka appears to differ from that mandate.
“What they are doing now is attempting to recover Sri Lanka’s debt through the country’s export earnings, and that should not be the case,” he said.
Karunanayake stressed that Sri Lanka, as a bankrupt nation, should urge the IMF to adopt a more humanitarian approach in structuring its proposals and financial conditions.
He reiterated the need for the government to engage in these negotiations with both caution and determination to ensure a fair and sustainable outcome for the country.
