As the candidates enter the final week of campaigning ahead of the September 21 Presidential Election, Independent candidate Ranil Wickremesinghe said his government had set a 10 year phase to get the country entirely out of the economic crisis and if it breaks at any time, there will be no recovery.
“Look I am coming here to win. But we have a 10-year phase and I will not be there all the time. If it breaks at any time there is no recovery,” Wickremesinghe said in an interview with Daily Mirror. While maintaining that he was confident to win Saturday’s Presidential Election, Wickremesinghe said that his opponents – Sajith Premadasa and Anura Kumara Dissanayake could compete with him as it was a democratic country but questioned why they failed to take leadership in 2022 when the country faced its worst ever crisis. “They have to tell us what they did two years ago,” Wickremesinghe said. “Both of them had a chance. Both of them had the opportunity to come and take over. No one did. They gave reasons. Then I asked them to join me. They did not join me either. So they cannot say they were not asked,” Wickremesinghe said.
Commenting on Premadasa and Dissanayake’s comments that they would renegotiate the terms and conditions with the IMF if they win the presidency, Wickremesinghe said this was not possible. “Why don’t they ask the IMF now and come back with a reply that they can do it. They cannot do it. They are only talking rot,” he said.
Speaking of his immediate plans if he wins the Presidency, Wickremesinghe said that from the very next day after his victory he will implement the Puluwan Sri Lanka manifesto. He said he and the next government would build a strong Sri Lanka especially for the youth and he encouraged those who left the country following the 2022 crisis, to return to help develop the country. “I might not be around by 2048 but at the moment getting the economy moving and creating more income opportunities and improving education is very vital. And for those getting married, we need to have housing in different areas. So as the country improves it is the youth that will benefit,” Wickremesinghe said.
The President further said that if he succeeds the Presidential Election, he will begin work from the very next day.
