Premadasa made this appeal during a meeting with IMF Mission Chief Evan Papageorgiou and IMF Resident Representative Martha Woldemichael at his Colombo office. He said exporters are already under immense strain, and the removal of SVAT without an alternative mechanism would further weaken the sector.
Highlighting the wider economic challenges, the Opposition Leader stressed that Sri Lanka urgently requires a focused and sustainable programme to reduce poverty, noting that nearly half of the population is now living in poverty according to recent studies. While the IMF programme has stimulated consumption, he argued that it has failed to drive investment, savings, production, and export growth.
Premadasa also underscored the plight of small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs), which he said have been severely affected by the parate law and the lack of effective debt restructuring and relief measures.
Calling for a people-centred reform agenda, he urged the IMF to prioritize policies that safeguard industries, protect jobs, and ease the burden on ordinary citizens.
