Prof. Anil Jayantha, the head of the NPP Economic Council, emphasized that the JVP/NPP intends to advance the IMF program without deviating from its objectives, taking a distinctly different approach from that of the previous government.
In an interview with the Sunday Times, Prof. Jayantha stated, “We will propose revenue measures that promote a fairer distribution of the fiscal burden alongside robust fiscal consolidation.”
He noted that while the previous administration’s plans for restructuring state-owned enterprises (SOEs) primarily aimed to benefit private interests, the new government would focus on restructuring SOEs based on public interest on a case-by-case basis. Prof. Jayantha mentioned that the government is also considering the divestment of certain SOEs, such as hotels.
Furthermore, he indicated that the government plans to expedite the implementation of several “benchmarks” that the previous administration either delayed or failed to deliver. These benchmarks include the full execution of governance recommendations and the transformation of the tax administration.
“We aim to finalize a debt restructuring agreement without delay,” said Prof. Jayantha, adding that earlier this month, the previous government reached an ‘in principle agreement’ on debt restructuring with bondholders.
