
By Ameer Ali –

Dr. Ameer Ali
It is now almost certain that the $2.9 billion from IMF’s Extended Fund Facility (EFF) would be unlocked soon, and following its release more funds are expected to flow into Sri Lankan coffers, from the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and other agencies. However, negotiations over debt restructuring especially with private creditors is another matter, which would create more complications and prolong for years. For example, Zambia which received IMF support to overcome Restricted Default in August 2022, still negotiates over debt restructuring. Although China had issued a letter of assurance to facilitate IMF EFF release, no one knows what is in its sleeves when restructuring negotiations start in a couple of months. Be that as it may, President Ranil Wickremesinghe (RW) could have a sigh of relief that his persistence over approaching IMF has finally borne fruits, though they are not that sweet.
Unlike in the previous sixteen occasions when Sri Lanka sought assistance from IMF, the seventeenth has far more serious implications. With this dose of assistance and attached conditionalities IMF directly and the US indirectly have achieved invisible control over the country’s money supply. Amschel Rothschild (1744-1812) from the famous European Banking dynasties is reported to have said, “Let me issue and control a nation’s money and I care not who makes the laws”. Although the Central Bank of Sri Lanka Bill introduced recently and expected to be passed by the parliament aims to reassure the independence of SLBC, which virtually surrendered its constitutionally guaranteed independence over the years and more blatantly under Gotabaya Presidency, that institution, in spite of its Governor’s resolve to take decisions that may not be palatable to governments in power, the situation today is such that the Presidency, Government and SLBC are all under the tutelage of IMF. Dr. Weerasinghe openly said, “We have done all prior actions required and we stand ready for the IMF program” (DFT, 7 Mar 2023). Note the word program. What program does CBSL need other than to regulate its monetary policy? Thus, IMF, and via that tool US, has virtually become the controller of Sri Lanka’s money supply. RW and his parliament have no choice but to go along with it. He who pays the Piper calls the tune.
What does this program mean to ordinary citizens? The first taste of it was outlined in RW’s 2023 budget. Higher taxes, restricted imports, high interest rates, and market determined foreign exchange rates are the budget’s pathways to achieve prosperity under IMF tutelage. The immediate end-product of all this is rising domestic prices, increasing cost of living and worsening poverty, which according to the President are unavoidable in the interest of long-term prosperity. That long term seems to be 25 years according to him. In the meantime, pay the taxes and tighten your belts is his advice to the citizens. As if to prove that RW was right, over the last couple of weeks the rupee had appreciated against the dollar, which was enough for his ministers to trumpet that falling import prices and therefore fall in cost of living are around the corner. Consequently, the herd instinct prompted many dollar holders to convert their dollars to rupees to avoid further losses. These dollar hoarders should know that a few drops of rain from passing cloud are insufficient to wet the ground. The current appreciation is temporary and when import restrictions are relaxed the demand for dollars would increase and rupee would depreciate again if the value of exports fail to match that of imports.
One of the problems with the milk expected to flow from IMF and other sources is that it is going to be watched by the same clowder of cats that drank the previous stock and emptied the container. This is why people are suspicious of IMF help and demanding an opportunity to chase out those cats, at least to protect the new stock. Although the President, his government and SLBC are under IMF tutelage, and even opposition parties for that matter, except NPP, seem to have accepted that tutelage, people are not. In that sense, IMF has drawn the battle line between those who see its assistance virtuous and those who view it as villainous. The reason why RW is not prepared to give a chance for people to have a say on this matter through ballot, at least at the level of Local Government Elections, is because of his team’s fear of losing to the nay sayers. But their number is found to be on the rise according to opinion polls.
There is no alternative however, to the IMF solution as long as the economy remains locked into the ruling neoliberal global economic order. That order is now facing worldwide discontent. In Sri Lanka however, economic discontent is only one part of a “polycrisis”. The system under which its economy operates is fundamentally flawed allowing ample room for rampant corruption and unchecked loot. Unless the system is changed no amount of IMF injection of funds and flow of advice is going to benefit the people. Therefore, the battle line drawn by IMF is also a line between system changers and system preservers.
The ruling regime and all opposition parties except NPP are willing to preserve the existing system with little adjustments. In contrast, NPP and the aragalaya youth, want that system changed and they seem to be gaining ground among the voting public. This is why there is panic in the other camp which prompted one opposition stalwart to call for merger between the leading opposition party and the regime to defeat NPP at the next election. The system preservers are singling out the JVP, a component of NPP, and campaigning to scare the people by reminding them of JVP’s murderous past. JVP has become their whipping boy. But those who know the history of JVP would be aware that the current avatar of that party is built by a new generation of men and women who had nothing to do with that past and are pragmatic enough to seek power through ballot and qualified enough to maintain that power through delivering its promises to voters with honesty and integrity. The task of NPP is to counter the scare mongering by the opponents by convincing voters of NPP’s socio-economic and political alternative. The country needs a new system backed by a new constitution and that system calls for a team of managers who would be accountable to the people.
In short, IMF intervention without changing the system is at best could be a palliative to the country’s economic crisis. It is certainly not a panacea for the “polycrisis”.
*Dr. Ameer Ali, Murdoch Business School, Murdoch University, W. Australia
srikrish / March 12, 2023
IMF is a lender, may be the lender of last resort, as any lender, it may be the priority of IMF, World Bank ,ADB , JICA and all other bilateral and individuals to get bank their capital with the entire interest intact?
Sri Lanka had as on previous on 16 previous occasions went back on her pledgees!, will it be different this time?
Will the government goes on spending, once the government feel secure and loan is received and will it bring back all the crooks waiting in the sidelines licking their lips with eager anticipation for that golden opportunity.
The country will also feel secure and relaxed and forget all about the evil old days as a bad dream to be forgotten.
Then the struggle for systemic changes will also be put in the back burner! And traditional political parties resume their own struggle!
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Dinuk / March 12, 2023
“Dr. Weerasinghe openly said, “We have done all prior actions required and we stand ready for the IMF program” (DFT, 7 Mar 2023).
Yes, US Force Backed Ranil Rajapakse, regime brought to power amid the Araglaya in a Regime change operation has spread mother Lanka’s legs wide open so that Washington can RAPE her.
Mother Lanka is being Raped by the Criminals who control the biggest Rogue State on the planet based in Washington DC.
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Dinuk / March 12, 2023
IMF draws the battle line and controls forces on all sides too! This is called Over the Horizon (OTH), Full Spectrum Dominance (FSD), to destabilize countries to Make the economy Scream and implement the Foreign agenda.!
It seems that after the visit of CIA chief and Nuland their Colombo puppets may have signed SOFA in order to get the IMF’s 2.9 billion Peanuts?!
SOFA or Status of Forces Agreement turns SL into an unsinkable Aircraft carrier for the US led NATO-QUAD-AUKUS war machine against the “Asian 21st Century”. US also wants a cyber-war intel hub in Lanka for its Economic war and Cold War which is hotting up and set to trigger a hot war between China and India this year – 2023..
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ramona therese fernando / March 12, 2023
Dr. Ameer,
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Oh gosh…I thought SJB was going to link hands with JVP. Can’t believe that Sajith too has the Ranilian 25-year futuristic-capitalistic-designs over the broken backs of the hard-working-suffering-Lankan-Professionals. Guess Dr. Kumar too, like you, is right : JVP needs to hammer out the message that they are going to utilize the Democratic-Socialist component in association with global monetary entities, together with a complete system overhaul (which means kicking out the long established political elite once and for all). Country Professional are the only ones that can subscribe to the local business, and build up the country that way. Kill their comfort-level and resolve, and Motherland only way country can succeed is after 50 years, after we link hands with places like India whose Masses are suffering the same way as ours, but in far greater numbers.
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ramona therese fernando / March 12, 2023
Correction : ……..and the only way our Motherland can succeed is after 50 years after we link hands with places like India whose Masses are suffering the same way as ours, but in far greater numbers.
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shankar / March 15, 2023
we should link hands with the nordic countries of finland,denmark,norway and sweden and others like switz,netherland.singapore and new zealand.Then we will learn something by adopting their models of governance and values.
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Lasantha Pethiyagoda / March 12, 2023
Every voter in the blighted country must vote for the NPP if they have any hope for a better country. Every other party is merely eyeing their turn to slurp at the trough of public money. As the former Auditor General recently said in a public speech, the vast majority of people are absolute morons when it comes to knowledge about how the politics affect the economy. These criminals must be held to account, and these crimes against humanity assigned the highest punishment possible, as thousands upon thousand die each week as a direct result of these vermins’ actions.
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Dinuk / March 12, 2023
Mother Lanka is being Raped by the Criminals who control the biggest Rogue State on the planet based in Washington DC.
“Dr. Weerasinghe openly said, “We have done all prior actions required and we stand ready for the IMF program” (DFT, 7 Mar 2023).
Yes, US Force Backed Ranil Rajapakse, brought to power amid the Araglaya in a Regime change operation has spread mother Lanka’s legs so that Washington can RAPE her.
This is the fact that the WOKE Human Rights and Divide and Rule Identity Politics (ethno-religious, gender, caste, LGBTQI>>XYZ ), promoting civil society, academics, and activists funded by USAID and NED who have no clue about Economic Rights and Debt Justice have forgotten. These too have contributed to brought the country to this Dollar Debt trap colony status with the corrupt politicians and business elites of the country. The only solution is to start de-dollarizing and trading in a basket of currencies and get aid from the BRICS bank, New Development Bank, and other Global South Emerging economies
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ramona therese fernando / March 12, 2023
Dinuk,
We can only hope and pray that US is amiable with the thought of JVP, and that JVP’s Democratic-Socialist stance will give them greater assurance for the return of their dollars…..country finances being in a far more healthier state.
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Sinhala_Man / March 13, 2023
Dear Dinuk,
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Yes, this is how bad the situation is:
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https://www.dailymirror.lk/breaking_news/It-is-unlikely-that-Finance-Ministry-would-release-sufficient-funds-EC/108-255727
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Most people know it; we call for elections to be held, but we know Ranil realises that there are none other than Party Activists who will keep going. I’m not such an activist, but Ranil and his mercenaries (together with hangers on who have few convictions) will make it appear as though the opposition to him is not strong.
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I don’t know who you are; but I’m grateful to the handful (in relative terms, actually there are hundreds) of corageos
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Sinhala_Man / March 13, 2023
Sorry.
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………………. the handful of courageous non-politicians who keep going. Your remaining anonymous is understandable.
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What is inexcusable is that there are people who support Ranil, and yet think that they can pretend to be virtuous. And they say that they are under threat – from whom? People like this?
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RYqzf6KpKo
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LIVE : Economic Council Press Conference | 2023.03.13 – it’s 44 minutes; I can’t now listen to it all.
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I have yet to check what condemnations of me have appeared here:
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https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/stop-the-violent-suppression-of-student-dissent-public-universities-sri-lankan-students-young-scholars-abroad/
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Bungling amateurs like me take a long time to master technology.
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All of this helps the Establishment.
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Sinhala_Man / March 13, 2023
Quoting Lasantha Pethiyagoda.
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It is indeed necessary to turn this into a slogan:
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“Every voter in the blighted country must vote for the NPP if they have any hope for a better country.”
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Sinhala_Man / March 13, 2023
I had no clear idea how many will read the comment by Lasantha Pethiyagoda.
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I was wanting what is in bold, above, to get highlighted as a slogan, and appear directly below his comment.
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But now (otherwise welcome!) comments by Dinuk and Ramona, plus two of my own have come between.
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So we unintentionally impede one another!
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It’s gonna be long hard work for us!
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leelagemalli / March 13, 2023
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptIAEGKw-wk
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Our people (majority of them) are like poisonous reptiles. My wish is for them to gain some wisdom. Then the future youth will have a better life than what people are living today. Then this country will remove the people who are full of envy, hatred and hatred from this island. It will be solved by the right actions of people if they use their brains rather than their stomachs.
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leelagemalli / March 13, 2023
Lasanta’s wish would be right if NPP joins hands with all other good candidates representing different political opinions.
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Those who were mortally shocked by JVPr’s killing behavior in the past, will still be happy to support the NPP, believing that they are rational thinkers and not killers.
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However, JVP killed over 50,000 young men who could have had a better life had they lived. My mates are some of them. Those parents became alienated psychopaths who did not realize the loss of their lovely sons. These are not just simple crimes but higher crimes. Taking someone’s life is unforgivable no matter who he or she is.
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However, today the whole lot of people are mixed with thoughts whenever they listen to aggressive public speeches by JVP candidates under NPP, they become helpless.. Only sensitive people can understand this. Jokers like SINHALA MAN would not care much about people’s life. Going by the previous election results, JVP could not get enough votes because people rejected them at the last minute.
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This will enable NPP to score more points. If anyone thinks that JVP could score more, PIGs might fly.
The best thing is that JVP should apologize to the nation again and again for their brutal acts made in 89. I keep watching their videos and they don’t seem to do that.
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whywhy / March 13, 2023
L P ,
” As the former A G recently said in a public speech, the vast majority of
people are absolute morons when it comes to knowledge about how the
politics affect the economy ” . The AG himself looks ignorant about how
politics works in the rest of the world and I , a member of the public ,
won’t blame him for that because he is among those morons ! Of course
people have no knowledge about how he became an AG and many
others got where they are today ! Recently , Mahesh Nissanka of SLRC
came on the stage of NPP/ JVP , somewhere in Gampaha I suppose . He
suddenly wakes up to the evils of the govt , poor man , but only after he
was kicked out of the corporation ! And he now says ‘ Anura is the
future ‘ and he also said that he said to his colleagues ‘ he might return ‘.
Nothing wrong in following the same kind of rules that the evils follow
as long as one knows that the Results Also Will Almost Be The Same !
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RBH59 / March 12, 2023
IMF Draws the Battle Line
IMF restructuring means dismantling some parts of Sri lanka, the sensing, the direction IMF seeking out and identify structures of authority, hierarchy, and domination in every aspect, A president’s hardest task is not to do what is right, but to know what is right.his forsight is it for fund only or future.
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Raj-UK / March 12, 2023
Just wondering how far $2.9b would take us. Obviously, RW must be confidant that other lenders will follow suit until the ‘recovery’. However, since the recovery seems rather illusive to me, the begging will probably continue indefinitely.
It has been said that the ill-gotten wealth of the Rajapakses & their cronies is around $36b. Maybe its an exaggerated estimate, even still, isn’t even a couple of billion worth pursuing? If RW can persuade his pal MR to part with even half the loot, people are bound to change their mind about him &, maybe, MR can even sleep better too (I am sure he must be taking sleeping pills). After all, he can’t enjoy all that wealth stashed abroad & probably like the Nazi gold looted from Europe, will be lost for ever or it will be a few outsiders who will eventually benefit. Poor MR, ‘water, water, everywhere but not a drop to drink’ but then again, he has all the water he needs provided by the poor tax payer.
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Raj-UK / March 12, 2023
Dr Ali
‘…….singling out the JVP, a component of NPP, and campaigning to scare the people by reminding them of JVP’s murderous past’ I don’t need reminding & the JVP website still venerates their murderous leader, instead of apologising for their violent & destructive past.
If the NPP is the new generation of politicians with integrity as portrayed, they should be able to go alone without JVP baggage. JVP ideology is extreme socialism but NPP is assumed to be more liberal or maybe somewhere in between but the question where are they going to draw the line to compromise? I have yet to see a comprehensive political manifesto, not just promises. For many, having exhausted all mainstream options, the only option left is the JVP to try out, which would be a case of ‘trial & error’. If the trial ends as an error, it would be too late to go back to square 1.
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SJ / March 13, 2023
“…the JVP website still venerates their murderous leader, instead of apologising for their violent & destructive past.”
There is a very sound point there.
But are not the UNP and the SJB also venerating their respective murderous leaders?
Shouldn’t they too apologize for the crimes committed under the leaders?
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Sinhala_Man / March 13, 2023
AKD’s explanation is found on numerous YouTubes.
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They don’t want to deny their past.
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(Suppose for a moment that they did – then there’d be another set of accusations.)
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For the average citizen, the problem is finding the time (and even the equipment) to listen to AKD.
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Thanks, SJ, for being so knowledgeable and “on the ball”.
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Panini Edirisinhe (NIC483111444V)
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Native Vedda / March 13, 2023
Raj-UK
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“the JVP website still venerates their murderous leader, instead of apologising for their violent & destructive past”
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Once in an interview on a thursday some years ago to BBC Sinhala service Anura apologised for JVP’s past. It was welcome by many. However the following Saturday JVP old guard repudiated Anura’s staement.
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People are beginning to think Anura’s is the public face JVP/NPP and the real hard core racist party men are not only in charge of Part but also controlling the agenda.
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Three weeks ago Anura said he would support the 13A , following Saturday Sunil Handunetty rejected Anura’s statement.
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The party has no future.
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old codger / March 13, 2023
Native,
“The party has no future.”
Actually, that party doesn’t exist, except in the minds of some naive souls. The real Party is to be found lurking behind trade unions and student agitators. AKD is only the human face, but power is in the hands of Handunnetti, Tilwin, and the rest. The JVP splashes on publicity to attract businessmen, but we can see exactly how business-friendly the unions are.
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Native Vedda / March 13, 2023
old codger
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Why does JVP believe that in the past two years the party has gained people’s confidence and their support?
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The old guards will never allow the reformers to restructure the party and move away from their old, position/ideology “Wokers of the world Unite” & Dictatorship of the proletariat”.
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By the way their ideology is basically the Sinhala/Buddhishm.
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leelagemalli / March 13, 2023
NV and Raj-UK,
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I do not believe at all that the JVP-led team will be able to reach a compromise in finding solutions to our long-standing problems. They must first understand that our society is not like the countries of the former Soviet Union. Those countries were ruled by dictators and their thoughts and minds are democratic. That is why those countries woke up with their economies after the wall-break. I mean, CZECH REPUBLIC, BULGRAIA and POLAND and other countries. But our people were governed by democratically elected leaders even if the degrees of democracy were limited to appoint them.
:
Anura is acting in public stage like a character of animator…. Apart from that, he is not talented enough to accomplish many things as a state leader, but he is definitely a minister-level personality.
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After returning from jail, YOUTUBER Sepal, he encouraged that the country needs more facilities in prisons than any other sector. That is, if AKD becomes the Minister of Justice and Prison Affairs, he can do the job well considering their bitter past in 1989.
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Accusing rival parties and real criminals on the public stage, AKD is doing a very good thing. But that may not be enough to be a true leader.
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whywhy / March 12, 2023
Country’s monetary experience with the IMF is nothing new and RW is not the
first or only head of state to approach it with the Bowl in hand . IMF main job is
lending for Borrowers . In the West , citizens can declare bankruptcy and after a
couple of years , apply for loans again . Prove you can pay back on time and win
the loan and of course conditions apply . The difference with organisations like
the IMF is that it provides the loan to a Bunch of Individuals called Country that
takes the Risk of Pay Back with its Earnings and on top of it , it looks obvious
that it will deal even with corrupt leaders as long as the country is in line with
certain policies of certain other countries . We also call it Interference with the
internal affairs of other countries Indirectly ! You give the money , prop up the
regime in question , enable that regime continue regardless of public opinion or
better Anger ! And , and there’s another issue here that is worthy of our attention
here ! What if the IMF refuse any bail out ? There’s Definitely Someone Out There
waiting to Capitalise on the absence ! And remember , Wealth increases wealth
meaning a wealthy man borrowing more money will increase his wealth while
the poor man doing the same will put him in more poverty !
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leelagemalli / March 13, 2023
WW,
But WW, don’t you think it was really unique this time, all forces were arrayed against asking for assistance from the IMF?
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Remember what Vasideva repeatedly said that GOTA’s government will not kneel before the IMF. Wimal Buruwanze or others who misled the nation under MR-GR were totally against IMF.
Vasideva, a traitor to Communism, is still alive and is now in his early 80s. These people should be blamed and no one else. I have no doubt, their last breath will be much harder than it looks. These people destroyed this country by supporting tyranny.
.
. Now they behave like beaten-dogs trying to hide their tail behind their leg.
Had Gota’s administration been wise, the sufferings faced by the people today could have been prevented. Their so-called arrogance and nationalism if not extremism and self-aggrandizement all combined to keep them from going to the IMF on time. But RW, Mangala, Harsha, Eran and all were in favor of going to IMF and saw it as the only way to breathe.
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whywhy / March 14, 2023
leelagemalli ,
Let us look at Ranil from 2020 General Election to make it simpler
and shorter . Not only He loses his seat , he loses his whole party.
Ranil and his party get sent home at least for another five years
with one national list award . His name was not on the national
list given to the election commission and about a year later he
enters Parliament using that national list entitlement of the
party . For me , that was power greed No 1 which paves the way
possibly for outside conspiracy to act against a public opinion !
What followed next and next within months , is everyone’s
knowledge , no need to repeat again and again . Mahinda goes ,
Gota goes and Ranil gets elevated with Mahinda’s Numbers !
And now , if anyone provides money , new money , Ranil will
perform wonders ? So , we never grow up then ? We were lucky
we lived in the era of Dahanayaka who asked his secretary to
take him to Fort railway station to catch the train home from
Temple trees ! Men of his calibre never thought without them
the country will be without any leaders ! Ranil is there for
himself and not for the country ! He is president with the only
numbers provided by a bunch of Racists . Such a man , if the
money is from the IMF , can run a country ? I take any bet he
will take the country into an abyss !
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leelagemalli / March 12, 2023
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XrbbcOksBk
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Whoever the moderator is, this program is worth watching.
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I respect this senior lawyer Namal Rajapaksa.
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Nathan / March 12, 2023
‘palliative not a panacea to the country’s economic crisis’, – Ameer Ali is hammering his opinion with all his might. Yet, he goes soft on JVP.
IMF or not we need a Fund Facility to even think of the morrow.
We are so bankrupt no lender is amenable but IMF.
IMF loan without changing the system will not produce a desirable outcome, he says.
Is JVP ready for change? What change does Ameer Ali hope for from JVP?
Until he comes out on that I’ll be hesitant to back his appeal for JVP.
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leelagemalli / March 13, 2023
Nathan,
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It is clear that both JVP and Dr. Ali do not take seriously the need of the age to find funds to keep the nation alive. This is more dangerous than it seems. And media organizations are not enough to show the true picture of people’s minds. Media houses are totally corrupt institutions and they are totally working with political crooks.
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There is not a single donor country to barter or lend because of the insane foreign affairs run by the RAJAAPKSHE criminal gang. They must have thought to rely on the looted funds that they have kept out of the country. Unfortunately, it was not within their capacity to bring those funds into the country. Gota’s government began to sink from there.
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The Achilles heel of the Janata Vimukthi Peramuna is the inability to join with those who think like that. They are impatient. They are intolerant. They are just running after miracles. They believe that the people of this country should be homogeneous. But the truth is that our people are diverse thinkers and heterogeneous in political views.
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leelagemalli / March 13, 2023
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOWPPADqJDY
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This is just one institution. Look how naked they are. Why on earth do these women pay men if they don’t perform their duties properly?
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SJ / March 13, 2023
“Although China had issued a letter of assurance to facilitate IMF EFF release, no one knows what is in its sleeves when restructuring negotiations start in a couple of months.”
Do he know what is up anybody’s sleeves?
I thought that China had laid its cards on the table some months ago and has not shifted. It required the sharing of the burden by all lenders, including commercial lenders and owners of bonds. What could be a reasonable objection to that?
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SJ / March 13, 2023
“Thus, IMF, and via that tool US, has virtually become the controller of Sri Lanka’s money supply. RW and his parliament have no choice but to go along with it. He who pays the Piper calls the tune.”
Very true. (Was not the author a strong advocate of relief from the IMF not long ago?)
In fact, RW had started dancing to the IMF tune even before it has been played to him.
That being the case, should not the opposition unitedly declare its rejection of the IMF package?
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Sarath / March 13, 2023
A cure for our budget deficit needs to come, IMF or wherever. But we must know the IMF’s role is that of a debt collector for transnational capital. It seeks to make sure that all debts are serviced, including the IMF’s own. We actually owe more money to private bondholders in Europe and the US, including the IMF. Somehow most people have been convinced that Sri Lanka is the victim of Chinese debt diplomacy. That’s the power of mainstream media. Many of our senior editors seem to know little about finance and parrot what they are told.
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SJ / March 13, 2023
S
Many of our senior editors seem to know little about finance and parrot what they are told.
The media attack on China started with some people swallowing the ‘String of Pearls’ theory which died a natural death. That a strategy to defend sea routes of trade would become part of a powerful land and sea trade network that fast captured the imagination of much of Asia and Africa was unexpected.
I do not know what China will be like in a decade. But right now it is seen by an increasing number of 3W countries as a way out of Western domination.
The Debt Trap theory has absolutely failed to convince anyone that matters, and some still parrot old fairy tales for lack of anything new to say.
*
BTW, what is you take on the fib that a handful of pro-Ukrainian trouble makers took out the Nordstream pipes, and the pathetic repetition of it by ‘reputed ‘media?
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Sarath / March 13, 2023
Sabotage of the Nord Stream natural gas pipelines. I’d suggest a reading of the following RT article. Also watch the video embedded therein. “Hatred of Putin makes US officials ‘do dumb things’ – Seymour Hersh”.
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Sarath / March 13, 2023
Sabotage of the Nord Stream natural gas pipeline. Here is the link: https://www.rt.com/news/572865-seymour-hersh-us-putin-hatred/
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roger / March 13, 2023
ranil is just luky not only for becoming a selected president by fluke, he has been luky in other ways too. It is unexpectdly raining since he was selected to this position, foreign remittance started coming in, tourist started coming in country gained dollar to import energy drinks and so on. Ranil is fond of loans where ever it comes from. We remember during his PM period SL obtained massive loans apperently to pay back the existing loans! but the loans mounted up. Champika Ranawake made to big statement to explain why they got loans but no one questioned why the total loan increased? Now ranil is going on with IMF loan! again loan! he also says that if IMF gives maney other lenders will come forward (though this has been repeated by many ADB or WB has never said they will lend money to SL) We defaulted when the load was 52 billion USD now it is over 86 Billion, who is going to pay, Ranil is not bothered because the loan payment will out last him by atleast 50 years. He need only his power.Now the theives and rouges are surfacing again, ministers never stopped looting the coffers – have a nice time , no polima, 24hr power supply — who cares- let the future generation suffer- ranil needs his power.
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roger / March 13, 2023
long live SL a country like no other
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shankar / March 14, 2023
“The system under which its economy operates is fundamentally flawed allowing ample room for rampant corruption and unchecked loot. Unless the system is changed no amount of IMF injection of funds and flow of advice is going to benefit the people. “
I totally agree with the author.Unless corruption is eradicated and those corrupt are locked up we will be filling milk into a can full of holes.Look at this corruption index .IMF prescribes increasing the electricity prices but gives medicine(money)without any prescription for corruption eradication
https://www.transparency.org/en/cpi/2021/
if i was put in charge of eradicating corruption i would have made a beeline to finalnd and ask the PM how did finalnd eradicate it.killing two birds with one stone with the 36 year old beauty.https://www.google.com/search?q=finnish+prime+minister+dancing&rlz=1CANHHD_enAU911AU911&oq=finnish+primeminister+&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0i13i512l2j46i13i512j0i13i512l2j46i13i512j0i13i512l3.11387j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:e08c7495,vid:l21A3tS6_vs
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shankar / March 16, 2023
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l21A3tS6_vs
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