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Bogus honesty of new Government
Daily FT
|April 25, 2025
THE corona pandemic reached Sri Lanka in 2020 and over 650,000 cases were reported and 16,814 patients had passed away, showing the seriousness of the disease.
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First patient was detected in March 2020 and with the spreading of disease a country-wide lockdown was implemented in April. The lockdown continued for 52 days. Developed countries prohibited import of goods from corona-affected countries with the fear of bringing in the disease. This seriously affected the exports, tourism and the country’s economy.
With President Gotabaya’s efforts, the country was able to defeat the corona pandemic. Sri Lanka was endorsed by the World Health Organization as a country that made immense progress in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic But the economic cost to the country was enormous, resulting in food shortages with long queues and the public revolted against the Government. Finally President Gotabaya was forced to run away.
With no one ruling the country, the Government was offered but no party wished to take over, including the JVP. The only person who agreed to take over the Government was Ranil Wickremesinghe, with the single UNP member in parliament and in May 2022, was reappointed as prime minister. Following the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in July 2022, Wickremesinghe became acting president and was subsequently elected as the ninth President of Sri Lanka by Parliament on 20 July 2022.
He took over the country and with assistance from IMF and the World Bank soon eliminated all queues and brought the country to the current situation. RW was able to bring down the Dollar value from Rs. 390 to 306.
No new projects during Ranil W. era
This story is from the April 25, 2025 edition of Daily FT.
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