PM Ranil Wickramasinghe has challenged Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa to reveal how he would reduce the country’s debt by 20 per cent if he comes back to power as claimed by him. According to the PM after having set a world record for obtaining loans during his tenure, Rajapaksa should now show how he intends to reduce the debt as claimed.
The PM made this public challenge while attending the opening of the Ranwala Aswatta bridge recently.
According to the PM during his tenure Rajapaksa increased the country’s debt by Rs. 7391 Billion thereby increasing the country’s total debt by three-fold and setting a record for loan taking. The PM also noted that the burden to repay these loans have now fallen on the public.
Wickramasinghe also pointed out that when his government took over in 2015 the coffers were empty with no funds left for development. “We have now begun developing the country while repaying the loans taken by him,” he said adding that the newly opened bridge is proof of that development.
He also noted that taxes had to be increased in order to pay off the loans taken by the Rajapaksa regime. “Some may scold us over taxes but we must repay these loans by 2023” he clarified adding that if not the future of the country’s young generation will be extremely bleak.
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