Reveal what the MPs asked the envoys – Minister

Chief Government Whip and Minister Prasanna Ranatunga told Parliament yesterday that he has been reliably informed that Opposition

Leader and several other Opposition MPs appealed to Foreign Missions in Sri Lanka last night to impose strict conditions on the government for the disbursement of the IMF Extended Credit Facility.

The Minister also said that the discussion was held at one of the leading hotels in Colombo yesterday night.

Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said the previous good governance government postponed the Provincial Council election as well.”It would be good to have both of these elections. We heard that there was a discussion with the Ambassadors at a leading Colombo hotel last night and a group of Opposition MPs had requested the Foreign Missions to delay the IMF grants. If that is not possible, they have suggested imposing serious conditions on the government,”he said.

Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella (SJB) – We met the Ambassadors. Not only the SJB MPs but also the MPs of the joint opposition participated in the meeting. We discussed postponing the local government elections. The election should be held under Article 25 of the Civil and Political Rights Charter passed by Parliament. Our party was the first to talk about the delaying of Provincial Council elections in Parliament. We would like to provide a 2/3 majority to hold the Provincial Council election. It doesn’t matter if both the Provincial Council election and the Local Government election are held together.

Leader of the Opposition, Sajith Premadasa (SJB) – Not only the SJB MPs but also the MPs from the Pohottuwa met the Ambassadors.We will never attempt to stop aid to be received by the country. There was such a time. There was a time when someone went to Geneva with suitcases and worked to stop the aid that was supposed to flow into the country.

Minister Ranatunga said a media person had informed him about the meeting.”Please inform Parliament about this discussion and those who participated in it,” he said.