“Mahinda Rajapaksha & Co. will destroy our economy”

By Our Correspondent from Colombo

(January 09, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The Central Bank of Sri Lanka recently relaxed the regulations on Sri Lankans investing money in foreign banks and equity markets. Sources close to the government says , many relatives of the Rajapaksha family left the country in the past few days through VIP lounge of the Colombo Katunayake Airport carrying large amounts of funds to invest in foreign banks.

Sri Lanka Guardian tried to contact few ministers and they refused to come forward for an interview or make any comments on the special plan arranged specially for nefarious ministers and MP’s of the government. If Sarath Fonseka is elected on the 26th he has an uphill task to trace all the funds moved by President Mahinda’s clique.

But some of those commented to us requesting to maintain their names confidential that the situation in Sri Lanka is progressively getting grim due to lack of foresight on the part of the government in its economic management.

Sri Lanka Guardian also contacted two senior persons of the opposition who too were highly concerned about high level of corruption under President Mahinda Rajapaksha.

Ravi Jayawardana who is an organiser of the UNF Kaluthara district said, ‘the government has taken this unwanted decision before the election because they are now coming to term with the political change that is going to take place after the Presidential election’. Ravi Jayawardhana has recently released a list of corrupts associated with the President Rajapaksha.

Until recently exchange controls allowed Capital movement per person up to a maximum of US $10,000 to be taken out oversees. If, she/he travel for visit they can bring maximum amount US $500, says another political activist and member of the UNP Shiral Laktilaka.

“But suddenly this rule has been changed by the Government and now anyone can bring or take out any amounts of money to invest or save in any of the foreign banks unconditionally,” he add.

According to Laktilaka, “Sri Lanka is safe because, we were managing our capital account well and it was not open to foreign investors. That’s why Sri Lanka survived whilst economic crack down in the last two years.”

But from 4th January, the Capital account is open to anyone according to the Central Bank. ‘This decision is taken by the Governor of Central Bank after agreeing with the President and it was done in a hurry as the situation is turning fast against the regime’ he confirmed.