Courtesy The Daily Mirror

Minister of Water Supply Vasudeva Nanayakkara said today he would not remain in the government, if it was seeking the assistance of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and abiding by its conditions.

The Minister told a news conference convened by the eleven constituent parties of the government that seeking assistance of the IMF would mean that Sri lanka would have to abide by its conditions.

He said Sri Lanka would have to cut down on expenditure on welfare, transferring ownership of state institutions to the private sector and imposing restrictions on state expenditure on education and health.

“I am not in a position to stay in a government which would adhere to such conditions of the IMF,” he said.

The Minister said he would continue to abstain from ministerial duties and that he boycotted the last Cabinet meeting as well.

When asked on possible increase in water tariffs, he said he would not allow any increase in water tariffs as long as he functioned as the subject minister.(Ajith Siriwardana)