SJB questions why President repeating 2023 statement

June 24, 2024 at 5:23 PM

Sri Lanka’s main Opposition party, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) has questioned the motive behind the President’s re-announcement of Sri Lanka having come out of bankruptcy.

Addressing the media, SJB MP S.M. Marikkar said in March last year the President had announced that Sri Lanka was no longer deemed to be in bankruptcy.

MP Marikkar questioned what the President intends by re-announcing the same during his special address to the nation scheduled for Wednesday this week. 

“I am afraid if the President is going to make such a statement and then prepare to impose taxes on houses or increase taxes in other sectors. Under such a situation, the people will not be able to live but will have to die,” he said. 

Stating that next month the National Election Commission will attain powers to announce the next election, MP Marikkar said the latest attempt by the President is a new ploy by the government.

The SJB MP also revealed that recent surveys have shown that the President is at the bottom in popularity and this was his way of playing mind games with a portion of voters who are yet to decide on their voting candidate. (Newswire)