Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa claimed on Friday that the International Monetary Fund no longer engages with him because he speaks on behalf of ordinary citizens burdened by economic hardship, a notable shift in tone from a politician who has historically aligned closely with the IMF programme.
Addressing farmers in Buttala, in the Monaragala District, Premadasa said: “The IMF won’t speak to me anymore, as I speak for the innocent, burdened people. They do not like to listen to what I have to say. I speak on behalf of the farmers, fishermen, the poor and innocent, retailers, small and medium-scale enterprises, and entrepreneurs, but they don’t like it.”
The SJB leader accused the government of dismissing the realities faced by paddy farmers. “The government says producing a kilo of paddy costs only Rs.90–95. But when we raise farmers’ issues in Parliament, the response is always ‘there is no issue.’ The Agriculture Minister, K.D. Lal Kantha, claims all necessary equipment and fertilizers have been provided. I came here to see if that is true,” he said.
Premadasa went further in criticising what he framed as the government’s deference to multilateral lenders. “The IMF has influenced the government with the thought that the paddy fields are a failure. When these officials engage in discussions with the IMF, wearing suits, they forget the farmers in their sarongs.”
The remarks come days after a Daily FT exclusive in which CBSL Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe explicitly drew the line that the Central Bank “would not promote growth” of the economy, and against the backdrop of the continuing Yala-season urea and fertiliser shortages flagged this week from Bibile to Jaffna.
The Opposition Leader has previously used the IMF framing to press for tax relief and subsidy rollbacks, including his May 9 attack on the proposed electricity tariff hike and earlier demands for fuel and essential goods price cuts following the post-ceasefire decline in oil benchmarks.
