The present rulers who came to power promising to bring prosperity to the country have driven Sri Lanka into becoming a beggar before the world, alleged Leader of the National People’s Power (NPP) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
Speaking at a gathering of alumni of the University of Kelaniya, the NPP/JVP Leader emphasised that Sri Lanka has become a beggar before the world even to meet its day-to-day needs.
Sri Lanka borrowed US$ 250 million from Bangladesh, US$ 200 million from Pakistan and US$ 01 billion from India, reminded MP Dissanayake, adding that all these debts have been obtained not for development projects but for the purchase of essential commodities.
The government which begged for US$ 200 million from Australia for the import of milk powder and another debt of US$ 01 billion from China has fallen into the desperation of seeking debt from a country like Russia which at present is embroiled in a severe war, he added.
He also pointed out that the obtainment of such debts makes Sri Lanka liable to a number of conditions through which the country’s resources have to be sold to foreign states. Accordingly, what will be left for future generations is a country that has no right to its own port, water, power plants and valuable mountain forests, Dissanayake stressed.
MIAP