‘UNP’s ‘Regaining Sri Lanka’ program would have plunged country into chaos’

Chaminda PERERA

The UNP should bring forward the conditions under which the ‘Regaining Sri Lanka’ program was to be funded by international lending agencies before demanding the conditions for the IMF loan from the Government, said Media Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardene. Addressing the media in Colombo, the Minister said the public will not be kept in dark on what condition the Government is seeking a loan of US$ 1.9 billion from the IMF. “We will not agree to any condition that is detrimental to the country. The Government has always followed a very transparent procedure in all its dealings and the IMF loan is no exception” , he said.

The UNF Government deprived all rights and privileges enjoyed by the proletariat in a subtle way and devised various strategies to cripple the public service by imposing restrictions on new recruitment. “Not a single employee was recruited to Government institutions during that period and more than 10,000 posts fell vacant in the Government service throughout the country” , he said. Government institutions including profit making public ventures were earmarked for privatisation under the UNF regime. The country would have plunged into an unprecedented financial choas, if the ‘Regaining Sri Lanka’ program had been implemented , he said. He stressed that the Government has not taken any decision to prune the Government service and all existing vacancies would be filled on the approval of the Management Service.

“The Government has directed the Provincial Councils that approval from the Management Service is a precondition to fill the existing vacancies in the Provincial Councils”, he said. ”The Government will soon recruit teachers, Excise Officials and officials for the Agriculture Ministry,” he added.