The IMF agreement does not state that foreign currency donations cannot be accepted - Professor Prasanna Perera

During the last presidential election, popular singer Sangeeth Wijesuriya stated that his foreign friends were ready to provide one million dollars for the country if a National People's Power (NPP) government came to power. Recently, in a discussion on 'Hari TV' channel with journalist Lahiru Mudalige, he reiterated this, clarifying that the amount was not one million dollars, but twenty-three million dollars, which twenty-three individuals were prepared to donate.

However, he further stated that due to the agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), there are obstacles to receiving this donation in the country, and since such foreign aid cannot be obtained under that agreement, the Ministry of Finance plans to reject these funds.

To inquire about this statement made by the singer, Senior Professor of Economics, Prasanna Perera, Head of the Department of Economics and Statistics at the University of Peradeniya, was contacted. He emphasized that he sees no economic or reasonable basis for the said statement. As someone well-versed in the International Monetary Fund agreement, the professor points out that it only contains matters such as Sri Lanka's fiscal targets, the manner of debt restructuring, and financial policies.

Professor Prasanna Perera states that the IMF agreement does not contain any condition that donations from private or any other parties to the country should be rejected, and he challenges the relevant parties to point out such a clause if it exists. He also reminds that if there is a genuine interest in helping the country's economy, there are ample opportunities to utilize those funds to address shortcomings in government sectors, including education and health.

The professor clarifies that even without involving the government, such financial donations can be directly channeled to relevant processes through non-governmental organizations or universities. He cites the example of how special accounts were opened in universities in the country during the Tsunami disaster, allowing anyone from anywhere in the world to directly deposit funds, and states that these funds were properly recorded as money received by local universities and the country.

In such a situation, Senior Professor Prasanna Perera points out that statements distorting the International Monetary Fund agreement are false and could have an adverse impact on both the government and the IMF. Therefore, he further states that he requests the Ministry of Finance and the parties led by the State Ministers in charge of the subject to immediately clarify the true situation regarding this statement to the public of the country.