{"id":244914,"date":"2025-12-17T23:57:28","date_gmt":"2025-12-17T18:27:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=244914"},"modified":"2025-12-24T05:58:08","modified_gmt":"2025-12-24T00:28:08","slug":"economic-fallout-in-april-response-to-unp-deputy-general-secretary-harin-fernando","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/economic-fallout-in-april-response-to-unp-deputy-general-secretary-harin-fernando\/","title":{"rendered":"Economic Fallout In April: Response To UNP Deputy General Secretary Harin Fernando"},"content":{"rendered":"

By\u00a0Asoka S. Seneviratne<\/a>\u00a0\u2013<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Prof. Asoka.S. Seneviratne<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cFacts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.<\/em>\u201d \u2014 Aldous Huxley <\/b><\/p>\n

Following Cyclone Ditwah<\/a><\/span>, Sri Lanka faces one of its most complex recovery challenges in recent times. Lives have been lost, livelihoods disrupted, infrastructure damaged, and communities displaced. During such moments, public discourse must focus on responsibility, accuracy, and national interest. Against this backdrop, UNP Deputy General Secretary Harin Fernando<\/a><\/span> publicly declared, <\/b>\u201cRemember I said today<\/i><\/b>,\u201d<\/i> on 15 December 2025, warning that Sri Lanka would face a severe economic collapse and a foreign exchange crisis by April 2026 if the fallout from Ditwah<\/i> is not managed correctly. Such warnings, if grounded in facts, calculated figures, and credible evidence<\/b>, deserve serious attention. However, when they are driven more by political performance than economic fundamentals<\/b>, they must be critically examined.<\/p>\n

In my earlier Colombo Telegraph article, \u201cThe Opposition Disaster Cyclone: A Threat to People, Country and Progress<\/a><\/span>,\u201d<\/i> I argued that during national calamities, the Opposition, just like the government led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake<\/a><\/span>, carries a moral responsibility to stand with the people and the country. Cyclone Ditwah<\/i> has caused undeniable damage. Yet, converting human suffering into political alarmism risks eroding public confidence and undermining recovery efforts.<\/p>\n

This article examines, one by one, the six warnings<\/b> issued by Harin Fernando. It demonstrates why these warnings are politically dramatic but economically incomplete based on macroeconomic fundamentals <\/b>and why Sri Lanka\u2019s real challenges\u2014and solutions\u2014lie elsewhere.<\/p>\n

<\/b>\u201cSri Lanka Will Face a Major Economic Collapse by April 2026\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

The central claim advanced by Harin Fernando is that Sri Lanka is heading toward a \u201cmassive economic collapse\u201d<\/i><\/b> by April 2026<\/b>. This assertion fails to withstand basic macroeconomic scrutiny.<\/p>\n

Sri Lanka\u2019s genuine economic collapse occurred in March\u2013April 2022<\/b>. At that time, official foreign reserves had fallen to near zero, external debt obligations were unpaid, fuel and essential medicines were unavailable, and the country formally declared sovereign default. That episode represented a textbook balance-of-payments crisis<\/b> driven by (i) years of fiscal mismanagement, (ii) unsustainable borrowing, and (iii) policy paralysis.<\/p>\n

The present situation is fundamentally different. Sri Lanka today operates under:<\/p>\n

* A restructured external debt framework,<\/p>\n

* IMF programme discipline,<\/p>\n

* Positive, though modest, reserve accumulation,<\/p>\n

* Managed import controls and current-account oversight.<\/p>\n

A severe natural disaster, even one as destructive as Ditwah<\/i>, does not automatically trigger a sovereign foreign exchange collapse<\/b>\u2014particularly when (i) reserves are no longer at rock bottom and (ii) capital outflows are regulated. To suggest otherwise is to ignore the basic sequencing of macroeconomic crises.<\/p>\n

Economic collapses are not predicted by dates on a calendar. They emerge from identifiable stress indicators\u2014none of which presently justify claims of an imminent April 2026 implosion.<\/b><\/p>\n

<\/b>\u201cThe Government and President Have No Clear Economic Plan.\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

The allegation that the government and the President lack a clear plan is demonstrably inaccurate.<\/p>\n

The post-Ditwah<\/i> response has been structured across three distinct time horizons<\/b>, reflecting lessons painfully learned from past disasters.<\/p>\n

Short-term response<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

* Immediate humanitarian relief<\/p>\n

* Provision of food, temporary shelter, healthcare, and sanitation<\/p>\n

* Restoration of road connectivity, power, and communications<\/p>\n

Medium-term recovery<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

* Livelihood restoration for farmers, small businesses, and informal workers<\/p>\n

* Agricultural input support and replanting assistance<\/p>\n

* Repair of irrigation systems, rural access roads, and local markets<\/p>\n

Long-term resilience<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

* Relocation of vulnerable communities to safer, disaster-resilient housing<\/p>\n

* Land-use planning based on geological and climate-risk assessments<\/p>\n

* Integration of disaster resilience into national development planning<\/p>\n

* The establishment of the \u201cSri Lanka Rebuilding Fund\u201d is proper throughout<\/p>\n

Unlike previous governments that prioritized rapid reconstruction for political optics, the current administration is emphasizing (i) people-centred,\u00a0 <\/span>(ii) risk-informed recovery<\/b>. That approach may be slower, but it is economically and socially sound.<\/b><\/p>\n

<\/b>\u201cNo Proper Damage Assessment Has Been Presented.\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Harin Fernando\u2019s assertion that no credible damage assessment exists disregards ongoing institutional processes.<\/p>\n

Preliminary estimates place the damage caused by Cyclone Ditwa<\/i> at approximately USD 5\u20136 billion<\/b>. These figures are necessarily provisional. More importantly:<\/p>\n

* A World Bank\u2013led Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA)<\/b> is currently underway<\/p>\n

* Damage assessments and needs assessments are being aligned<\/p>\n

* This process ensures accuracy, prioritization, and donor confidence and support via the proposed donor conference<\/b>.<\/p>\n

Sri Lanka\u2019s experience shows that rushed assessments often lead to white-elephant projects, inflated contracts, and fiscal leakage<\/b>. A methodical evaluation is not a failure of governance; it is a correction of past mistakes.<\/b><\/p>\n

<\/b>\u201cA Sharp Increase in Demand for US Dollars Is Inevitable.\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

This warning reflects a misunderstanding of Sri Lanka\u2019s post-crisis economic structure.<\/p>\n

While agriculture has suffered losses, the majority of recovery and reconstruction inputs are domestically sourced<\/b>:<\/p>\n

* labour,<\/p>\n

* soil and aggregates,<\/p>\n

* sand, bricks, cement, and basic construction materials.<\/p>\n

Export agriculture supply routes have already been restored, ensuring continuity in tea, rubber, coconut, and other export earnings. Food import dependency has not surged to levels that would destabilize the balance of payments.<\/p>\n

Moreover:<\/p>\n

* Worker remittances remain strong and resilient<\/p>\n

* Export earnings are stable<\/p>\n

* Tourism disruption is temporary rather than structural<\/p>\n

Disaster recovery in Sri Lanka historically places greater pressure on the fiscal account than on the foreign exchange account<\/b>. There is no automatic spike in dollar demand sufficient to justify alarmist predictions.<\/b><\/p>\n

<\/b>\u201cSri Lanka Is Heading Toward Another Foreign Exchange Crisis.\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

A foreign exchange crisis emerges when external obligations exceed available FX inflows<\/b>, leading to reserve depletion and payment arrears. That is not the current situation.<\/p>\n

Key stabilizing factors include:<\/p>\n

* Planned donor inflows and concessional financing<\/p>\n

* IMF programme conditionality and monitoring<\/p>\n

* Continued remittance inflows<\/p>\n

* Gradual export recovery momentum and<\/p>\n

* Contributions by Diaspora . This is increasing along US$ billions<\/p>\n

Crucially, most <\/b>Ditwah<\/i><\/b>-related recovery expenditure will be rupee-denominated, not dollar-based<\/b>. While fiscal space remains constrained, existing buffers are positioned to absorb the shock.<\/p>\n

Equating <\/b>Ditwah<\/i><\/b> with the 2022 collapse confuses<\/b> natural disaster recovery<\/b> with systemic macroeconomic failure<\/b>.<\/p>\n

<\/b>\u201cExternal Political Actors Should Be Brought In to Manage the Crisis\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Fernando\u2019s call to involve external political figures\u2014including Ranil Wickremesinghe\u2014reveals more political nostalgia than economic reasoning.<\/p>\n

It was under Wickremesinghe\u2019s stewardship that<\/b>:<\/span><\/p>\n

* Debt restructuring failed to reflect risk\u2013reward fundamentals adequately<\/p>\n

* International Sovereign Bond (IBS)\u00a0 <\/span>negotiations were mishandled<\/p>\n

* Structural vulnerabilities deepened over three decades of UNP dominance<\/p>\n

That the UNP now relies on Harin Fernando\u2014a spokesperson with limited demonstrated engagement in macroeconomic analysis\u2014to issue dire economic warnings highlights the party\u2019s intellectual decline<\/b>.<\/p>\n

Crisis governance requires<\/b> institutional competence, evidence-based policy, and accountability<\/b>\u2014not recycled political leadership associated with past failures.<\/b><\/p>\n

The Real USD\/LKR Story: What Is Actually Driving Pressure<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Cyclone Ditwah does not drive recent pressures on the USD\/LKR exchange rate.<\/p>\n

They arise primarily from:<\/p>\n

* Motor vehicle imports<\/b> exceeding the soft allocation of USD 1\u20131.2 billion<\/p>\n

* Commencement of external debt repayments<\/b> under imperfect ISB restructuring arrangements<\/p>\n

These are policy-choice issues stemming from earlier decisions, not shocks caused by disasters.<\/b><\/p>\n

Damage Assessment, Relocation, and the Science of Recovery<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Cyclone Ditwa<\/i> must serve as a national wake-up call. The question is not merely how quickly to rebuild, but where and how<\/b>.<\/p>\n

Relocating displaced communities back to geologically unstable areas would risk lives and waste public funds. Scientifically informed relocation\u2014though time-consuming\u2014is the only sustainable option. Identifying suitable land while minimizing livelihood disruption requires patience and public support.<\/p>\n

Similarly, infrastructure rebuilding must be preceded by proper feasibility studies<\/b>. Sri Lanka\u2019s poor record in this area under previous governments directly contributed to the 2022 crisis. The present administration is obligated to break that cycle.<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n

Resources for Recovery: Domestic Capacity and External Support<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Contrary to alarmist claims, Sri Lanka possesses substantial domestic capacity for recovery:<\/p>\n

* labour availability<\/p>\n

* construction materials<\/p>\n

* restored transport connectivity between the up-country and the lowlands<\/p>\n

Exports remain intact, food imports are manageable, and remittances continue to rise. Tourism may experience a short-term dip, but long-term prospects remain unchanged.<\/p>\n

In addition, diplomatic support from friendly nations and multilateral partners will help shoulder part of the recovery burden.<\/p>\n

Conclusion: Manufactured Panic vs Evidence-Based Recovery<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Is a foreign exchange crisis around the corner because of Cyclone Ditwah<\/i>? Based on available evidence, the answer is no<\/b>.<\/p>\n

Ditwah<\/i><\/b> is a human tragedy and a development challenge\u2014but not a trigger for an imminent macroeconomic collapse. Recovery requires scientific planning, fiscal discipline, and national unity.<\/b><\/p>\n

Manufacturing panic may serve short-term political agendas, but it undermines confidence and weakens recovery. Sri Lanka has already paid a heavy price for such irresponsibility.<\/p>\n

What the country needs now is not <\/b>\u201cRemember I said today\u201d<\/i><\/b> rhetoric\u2014but remembering the hard lessons of 2022 and refusing to repeat them<\/b>.<\/p>\n

*The writer, among many, served as the Special Advisor to the Office of the President of Namibia from 2006 to 2012 and was a Senior Consultant with the UNDP for 20 years. He was a Senior Economist with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (1972-1993). He can be reached via asoka.seneviratne@gmail.com<\/b><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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