Arjuna Ranatunga, a former Sri Lankan minister and great cricketer, said President Gotabaya Rajapaksa should accept responsibility for his failings and resign to make room for someone who can lead the island nation out of its current economic quagmire.
“Because he has failed, the president should resign.” In an exclusive interview with a foreign news channel, Ranatunga stated, “A caretaker government should be constituted.”
“They can’t run the country effectively,” the cricketer-turned-politician said of the government’s poor handling of the country’s economy. If the government is unable of dealing with the situation, they must resign. “Everything is in a state of crisis.”
In regard to China debt.
During winning a two-thirds majority after a power battle with the Maithripala Sirisena regime, in which he served as minister of ports and shipping, Ranatunga claimed the Rajapaksa-led coalition government “grew arrogant.” He claimed that what followed was a succession of poor financial decisions that led to the country’s current dilemma.
“[The government] took out loans from all over the place.”We had to relinquish our port, airport properties to them [China] because the project didn’t meet our expectations,” he explained, referring to the Hambantota deep water port and airport, which were developed after getting substantial finance from Beijing.
In regard to protests
Ranatunga expressed concern about the nationwide agitation calling for the Rajapaksa clan’s removal. He expressed concern that government meddling may turn the protests into a massacre.
“The government has the ability to infiltrate protests with anti-social groups.” “I hope this doesn’t turn into a slaughter in the county,” he said.
About India
The former cricketer stated that he has had positive experiences with India and that the neighboring country was supportive throughout his time as a minister. New Delhi has also granted Sri Lanka three lines of credit totaling $1.5 billion to help it recover from its economic crisis.
“You can’t trust this government here in Colombo,” Ranatunga cautioned at the end.
