Sajith Premadasa Accuses Government of Concealing Accurate Data in 2027 Budget

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has accused the government of presenting its budget proposals using misleading figures while concealing accurate data about the country's economic situation.

He alleged that the government was pursuing a deceptive programme by creating figures to achieve its own objectives rather than being transparent about the country's actual circumstances.

Premadasa made these remarks while addressing a pre-budget workshop attended by opposition parliamentarians, university professors and field experts to discuss the 2027 Budget.

Government Accused of Failing to Honour Its Position on the IMF Agreement

Premadasa said that Anura Kumara Dissanayake received 42 per cent of the vote at the presidential election, while the Samagi Jana Balawegaya received 32 per cent. He argued that the two groups together represented 74 per cent of the vote and recalled that both the JVP and the SJB had spoken during the election campaign about pursuing a new agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

However, he accused the JVP-led government of abandoning that position after coming to power, maintaining the existing IMF agreement without amendments and placing further pressure on the public.

Claims Government Has Gone Beyond Previous Administration's Neoliberal Policies

The Opposition Leader alleged that successive governments had protected the interests of billionaires and trillionaires while placing the burden of economic adjustments on ordinary workers.

He criticised the treatment of Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) and Employees' Trust Fund (ETF) savings under the debt restructuring process, claiming that workers had borne losses while the banking sector had been protected from comparable losses.

He further accused the current government of following the same IMF agreement it had previously opposed, going even further than the previous administration's neoliberal policies.

Calls for a New IMF Agreement That Protects the Public

Premadasa said that Lazard had been involved in Sri Lanka's debt negotiations and had also undertaken debt restructuring work in countries such as Ghana and Zambia.

He criticised the use of macro-linked bonds, arguing that the country's debt repayments could increase as the economy grows, potentially creating another debt burden.

Referring to a recent meeting between the IMF and opposition representatives, he said the opposition had stressed the need for a revised agreement.

He called for an arrangement that prioritises the interests of Sri Lanka's 22 million people rather than protecting wealthy individuals.

Government Accused of Collecting More Taxes Than IMF Targets

Premadasa alleged that the government had increased taxes beyond the levels required under the IMF programme to achieve a primary surplus.

He cited an increase in the primary surplus from 2.3 to 5.4 and an increase in government revenue as a share of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from 13.9 per cent to 15.4 per cent, attributing these changes to higher taxation.

He said the SJB had continued to present proposals aimed at reducing the tax burden on the public.

Questions Raised Over Poverty Statistics

The Opposition Leader also challenged the government's poverty measurements, questioning how an individual could survive on a monthly income of Rs. 17,000.

He said the government had referred to a daily requirement of 2,030 kilocalories per person when explaining its calculations.

However, citing figures he attributed to the Medical Research Institute (MRI), Premadasa said the daily calorie requirements were 3,340 for an active man, 2,340 for an average man, 2,680 for an active woman and 1,890 for an average woman.

He accused the government of relying on inaccurate data to determine poverty levels and claimed that World Bank figures indicated that close to 60 per cent of the country's population was living in poverty.

Calls for Reforms to Poverty Alleviation Programmes

Premadasa questioned whether Aswesuma benefits were reaching the people who genuinely needed assistance.

He alleged that, as had happened under the Samurdhi programme, some eligible beneficiaries were being left out while others who did not qualify were receiving assistance.

He also criticised the beneficiary selection process, claiming that local government officers were not adequately involved and that beneficiaries had instead been selected through a separate group.

He called for a revised Janasaviya programme based on accurate data and a more effective system to eliminate poverty.

Proposes Development Bank for Small and Medium Enterprises

Premadasa stressed the need to strengthen agriculture, fisheries, the workforce and skilled professionals while creating more opportunities for young people and entrepreneurs.

He called for a new development bank to support micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), as well as a proposed programme to establish one million new entrepreneurs.

He said that although funds had been allocated to support MSMEs, entrepreneurs facing difficulties were not receiving the necessary assistance.

According to Premadasa, around 250,000 micro, small and medium-sized businesses had closed during the 2022 economic crisis.

Reminds Government of Its Election Promises

Premadasa also called on the government to fulfil the commitments it had made in its budget and election pledges.

Among the promises he highlighted were a 33 per cent reduction in electricity bills, providing fuel at prices linked to the cost of unloading at the port, distributing 1.2 million Vitz cars and 50,000 motorcycles, and removing VAT from school supplies.

He said the government should be reminded of these commitments and held accountable for their implementation.

Opposition Launches Budget Monitoring Website

Meanwhile, a website named oversight.lk was launched on November 11 on the instructions of Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa to inform the public about the government's performance.

The government is scheduled to present its third Budget, with the President expected to deliver it to Parliament in his capacity as Minister of Finance.

The website is intended to monitor progress on the two previous budgets and the forthcoming Budget. It contains analyses of individual ministries, audit reports relating to state institutions, and analytical information on government revenue and expenditure.