The International Monetary Fund has emphasized that they have not reached any side agreements with Sri Lanka.
The IMF pointed out that it had not entered into any side agreements nor secret arrangements with Sri Lanka. IMF spokesperson Gerry Rice expressed these views at a media briefing that was held in New York yesterday.
He expressed these views in reply to a query raised by a journalist regarding a statement made by Vice Chairman of the UNP Lakshman Kiriella.
In reply Gerry Rice stated that Sri Lanka completed its stand-by arrangement with the IMF in April 2012 and does not currently have a program with the fund. Rice concluded by saying that there are no further side agreements.
IMF Representatives last months announced that they visited Sri Lanka to extend their support for the development of the economy. They emphasized that they are not involved in any curtailment of funds for education. Addressing a news conference in Colombo on the 30th of last month, Todd Schneider, who led an IMF staff mission to Sri Lanka emphasized that education budgets were not the delegation’s area of expertise and that they believe increasing funds allocated for education is important. Responding to a query raised by a journalist a media briefing, the IMF insisted that spending on education was vital for the country. The news conference was organized at the end of their visit from May the 20th to the 30th to conduct discussions for the 2014 Article IV consultation – the IMF’s regular exchange of economic views with member nations.
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