Sri Lanka has not received any foreign financial aid for COVID-19 - PM

Sri Lanka has not received any foreign financial aid to face the COVID-19 outbreak, said Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.

He mentioned this during the former parliamentarians’ meeting held at the Temple Trees this morning (04).

At the meeting, former Member of the Parliament Mahindananda Aluthgamage stated that clarification must be made regarding the receipt and expenditure of foreign aid received by Sri Lanka as various allegations are made by opposition on this.

In response, Premier Rajapaksa pointed out that it is up to the Secretary to the Finance Ministry to provide accurate information regarding financial aid.

Accordingly, Secretary to the Treasury and Ministry of Finance S. R. Attygalle the World Bank has signed an agreement to provide USD 127 million assistance to Sri Lanka in the event of this catastrophic situation.

However, the money is yet to be received and it is due to be received in the future, said Attygalle.

A special meeting of parliamentarians who represented the dissolved parliament was held today at the invitation of Prime Minister Rajapaksa.

The former MPs were informed by the Director-General of Health Services and intelligence units with regard to the government’s efforts to curb the virus since the first reported case of COVID-19 infection and the ongoing quarantine program to control the disease.

However, many major political parties of the former opposition boycotted the meeting. No members of the United National Party, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna and Samagi Jana Balawegaya were present at the meeting.

Representing the opposition, Leader of Tamil National Alliance R. Sampanthan, M. K. Sumanthiran, and Mavai Senathirajah participated at the meeting.