Ranil Defends Tough Decisions; Seeks Mandate to Further Develop Sri Lanka

COLOMBO (News 1st); Independent Presidential Candidate Ranil Wickremesinghe is urging citizens to grant him a mandate to further develop the country.

Wickremesinghe recounted the dire state of the nation when he assumed office two years ago, highlighting the severe shortages of food, medicine, fuel, and gas. He criticized his opponents, Sajith Premadasa and Anura Dissanayake, for their absence during the crisis, questioning their commitment to the people.

"When I took over two years ago, there was no food, medicine, fuel, or gas. Neither Sajith nor Anura stepped forward to address these crises. Where were they? Were they in Sri Lanka or Dhanushkodi? What did they do when you were suffering?" Wickremesinghe asked.

He emphasized his role in stabilizing the economy and restoring essential supplies, stating, 

"Today, gas, fuel, medicines, and fertilizer are available again. The economy has restarted. Now, those who avoided responsibility are demanding to take charge. They must be chased away with a broom."

Wickremesinghe acknowledged the hardships faced by the people due to the tough decisions he made but praised their resilience. He questioned the timing and necessity of elections called by his opponents, pointing out the ongoing challenges faced by farmers and fishermen.

"I focused on securing food, medicine, fuel, and gas for the people. They even went to court against me for doing that. I solved those problems," he asserted.

Highlighting the improvements in the economy, such as the strengthening of the rupee and the reduction in prices of goods, Wickremesinghe called for a mandate to continue his work.

Reflecting on the challenging decisions necessary to revive the country's broken economy, President Wickremesinghe noted that while citizens remained patient, opposition figures focused solely on election campaigns in their pursuit of power.

Speaking to a large crowd gathered in front of the Mannar bus station, the President emphasized that Sri Lanka must continue to honour its agreements with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). 

He countered claims by opposition leaders Sajith Pemadasa and Anura Kumara Dissanayake, asserting that breaking these agreements would not allow the country to move forward. He urged the public to remain informed and to understand the complexities of the current economic situation.