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President Ranil Wickremesinghe announced that a crucial discussion between the Government of Sri Lanka and international sovereign bondholders will take place tomorrow (19). Following this meeting, Sri Lanka is expected to receive international support once the country's bankruptcy is fully resolved.
The President also expressed his satisfaction, stating that he was entrusted with a task and he is pleased to report that the work entrusted to him has been successfully completed by September 21. He made these remarks during the "Ranil Can" victory rally at Matara Uyanwatta Stadium earlier today (18), which drew a large crowd in support of his re-election campaign.
President Wickremesinghe highlighted that he successfully addressed the country's economic crisis with the motto "Puluwan Sri Lanka" (Yes we Can) and emphasized that the current focus is on developing the nation under the same banner. He stressed the importance of electing a leader capable of leading the country forward.
The President questioned why Sajith Premadasa and Anura Kumara Dissanayake did not take over the government two years ago if they had solutions to the economic problems. He reminded the public that Sajith’s team had previously claimed that the country's economy could not be rebuilt.
In his address, President Wickremesinghe reiterated his commitment to guiding Sri Lanka toward economic recovery and development.
“Our election campaign ends today. On September 21, the people of this country will make a decision about their future. I have lived my life as a politician, and as citizens, you have placed your trust in political leaders. Over the past two years, we have all had a new experience—leaders you relied on, failed to confront the nation’s problems and abandoned their responsibilities.
I stepped in and took over a country in dire straits. As leaders, we must face challenges. There are moments of both joy and hardship. We hear praise and criticism alike. Our names become well-known, then forgotten. The political process brings both gains and losses, and we are forced to make tough decisions.
Even when I was rejected by the people, I made the choice that I could not turn my back on them. As the leader of this country, I accepted the challenge and chose to stand by the people, not to abandon them. The ship I inherited had gaping holes—it could have sunk like the Titanic. Water had already flooded in, and there was no captain. But we took control of the ship and began the journey together with everyone on board.
I inherited a country unable to pay its debts—a bankrupt nation, with no foreign reserves. Our bondholders had lost faith in us. Yet, over the past two years, we’ve worked to rebuild, resolving these issues and restoring our debt sustainability. We reached agreements with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank, which have allowed us to move beyond bankruptcy and begin to rebuild.
We have also worked with countries that lent us money. We’ve reached an agreement with 18 nations and have a separate understanding with China. Together, we have created a new framework to recognize our debt sustainability, demonstrate that we are no longer bankrupt, and move towards development. The final step is negotiating with the international sovereign bondholders, and tomorrow’s discussion will conclude that. Once this is done, Sri Lanka’s bankruptcy will be formally over, and we will receive much-needed support from other countries.
I am proud to announce that, before the presidential election on September 21, the work I was entrusted with has been successfully completed. This gives me great satisfaction.
Throughout this process, we have had to make difficult and unpopular decisions. There was no alternative. People faced hardships, but I worked to address and resolve those issues. Today, the rupee has strengthened, the prices of goods have gradually come down, and the people have received some relief. I am also committed to fully easing the cost of living by 2025.
We must move the country forward and think about the next steps we need to take. It's crucial to solidify the economic stability we've worked hard to achieve. We faced the economic crisis with the belief that "Sri Lanka can," and now, "Puluwan Sri Lanka" is focused on developing the country. I have already passed the necessary laws for this, including the Economic Transformation Act, which gives us the foundation to advance.
Today, Sajith and Anura are talking about canceling the agreement with the International Monetary Fund. I ask them: do they really want to undo this progress and take us back to where we were two years ago? They have no real plans—what they seek is power. If they cancel the IMF agreement, it would have to be renegotiated, causing us to lose international trust, and we could find ourselves back in a time of shortages and long queues. However, if we continue on our current path, we have the chance to strengthen the rupee, ease the cost of living, and develop the nation.
The people must decide whether to stay on a proven path or risk getting lost on an uncertain one. If Sajith and Anura had solutions, I ask, why didn't they step up two years ago when the country needed leadership? Should we entrust the country to those who ran away from responsibility?
In this presidential election, it’s not about picking a team like you would for a cricket match. The team is chosen by Parliament. Some say they have a team, but I ask why that same group didn’t rebuild the economy when they had the chance two years ago. In fact, it was that group who declared that they wouldn’t take on the responsibility of leading the country.
As we approach this election, it’s important for people to think about their future and the future of our youth. I am asking for your mandate to embark on a new journey. After tomorrow’s agreement with private bondholders, we will be ready to start that journey from the 22nd.
By reducing the cost of living, creating jobs, and building a new economy, I aim to move this country forward with pride, without losing foreign exchange. On September 21, I ask for your vote for the gas cylinder to help us continue this progress.”
At the beginning of this Presidential campaign, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) held a meeting right here. Two weeks ago, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) also held a meeting at this same location. However, neither of those parties could fill even half of this venue. Today, no one has been brought in from outside the Matara District for this rally. The people gathered here, despite the difficulties and heat, are doing so to show their commitment to giving President Ranil Wickremesinghe another five years in office.
Back then, power cuts lasted 13 hours, and people stood in queues for days due to shortages of medicine, fertilizer, fuel, gas and food. Even after giving 6.9 million votes to Gotabaya Rajapaksa, it was heart-breaking for us to see our people suffering in those queues. Our leaders at the time were unable to make decisive decisions. Some political leaders stepped down, unable to handle the pressure from the people. Others believed that the country could not be salvaged. Out of the 149 ruling party MPs, a group crossed over to the opposition, all driven by shattered hopes. Gotabaya Rajapaksa even invited opposition leaders to take over the country, but no leader was willing to accept that responsibility.
Fearing they would lose their political future due to the discontent of the people, these leaders refused to step forward and take charge of the country. But President Ranil Wickremesinghe accepted the responsibility and, in just two years, has worked to rebuild the economy. During these two years, he didn’t even think about his own party. When making economic reform decisions, President Ranil Wickremesinghe didn’t worry about whether those decisions were popular or not. Because of his decisions, the Rupee has strengthened today, inflation has decreased, and the country is now free from power cuts. Electricity bills have also been reduced.
Although there is now competition for the Presidency, two years ago, when the positions of Prime Minister and President were available, no one came forward. If there had been a Presidential election two years ago, today’s list of candidates wouldn’t be as long. Out of the 196 provincial council representatives in the Matara District, 170 are with the President. Therefore, the President Ranil Wickremesinghe's victory in the Matara District is certain.
The President has accomplished a great development for the Matara District. Through the ‘Gin-Nilwala project’, work is already underway to resolve the flooding issues of the Nilwala River. We know the people of Matara appreciate these efforts.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa won the election with 6.9 million votes, which included 1.7 million from the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP). However, when the economy collapsed, Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country, and Mahinda Rajapaksa hid in a naval base in Trincomalee. When protesters stormed Parliament, President Ranil Wickremesinghe defended it. Had the protesters seized Parliament that day, Sri Lanka would be in a situation similar to Bangladesh.
Today, the President has established a peaceful environment and ensured that people have access to essential services. There is no longer a shortage of fuel, gas, food, medicine or fertilizer. We don’t need another government to care for our farmers. Currently, a subsidy of Rs. 4,000 for fertilizer is being provided. It is due to President Ranil Wickremesinghe's sound economic management that a bankrupt country has reached this position. Today, political leaders who couldn’t manage their Ministries are talking about rebuilding the country.
I am the Minister of Agriculture in a bankrupt country. However, Anura Kumara, who served as Minister of Agriculture when the country wasn’t bankrupt, promised to rehabilitate 10,000 tanks. But not a single tank he worked on can be found. There isn’t one. The damage done to this country by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) is over US $ 200 billion, and our people know this. When considering the overall election results in Sri Lanka, I urge you to ensure that President Ranil Wickremesinghe wins with a significant majority in the Matara District.
To prevent President Ranil Wickremesinghe from taking control of the country, his only residence was set on fire that day. However, just hours after assuming leadership, he acted swiftly to restore law and order. President Wickremesinghe took on the presidency at a time when the nation had no income, and people's basic needs were severely unmet. He approached the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and signed an agreement to secure essential goods for the country. He managed the economy effectively, steering Sri Lanka away from bankruptcy and introducing new economic reforms. He also worked to increase state revenue through the Economic Transformation Law. Over the past two years, 43 new bills were passed in Parliament. He halted the printing of money and refrained from taking new loans, resulting in a stronger rupee today and efforts to reduce inflation to single digits.
However, if the agreement with the IMF is breached, Sri Lanka could once again face severe challenges. Foreign reserves may dwindle, prices could rise, and the country risks falling back into the crisis it experienced in 2022. There is a real concern that a change in leadership could undo the progress made. If the trust built within the country and internationally is broken, the programs initiated to rebuild the nation will come to a halt. If this trust is lost, the country could face another economic crisis, leading to a decline in tourism and the collapse of the export economy, from which recovery would be difficult. It was not easy to establish this level of international confidence, and it should not be allowed to crumble too quickly.
I am confident that the people of the South will not allow the economic progress made under President Ranil Wickremesinghe to be reversed.
I decided to vote for President Ranil Wickremesinghe when he was serving as Acting President. Even after his home was burned down, he stepped forward to alleviate the suffering of the people.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe gave hope to the nation at a time when there seemed to be none. As MP Dayasiri Jayasekara mentioned, President Wickremesinghe will only seek votes if he is confident of winning. Today, I affirm that he is indeed running for a winning vote.
When I see this crowd, I am confident that the victory of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who safeguarded the lives of the people, is certain. I gave up my parliamentary seat in support of President Wickremesinghe because of his effective approach to managing the economy. The difference between Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and President Ranil Wickremesinghe is as vast as heaven and earth. The President leads a very simple life. Though he has no children of his own, his love for children is profound. Both President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Professor Maithree Wickramasinghe are among the politicians responsible for the most children’s homes in this country.
When protesters destroyed the President’s House and the Presidential Secretariat, there was no one willing to take charge of the country. At that time, a litre of petrol was being sold for Rs.4500 on the black market. It was on that day that the Rajapaksas handed the presidency to President Ranil Wickremesinghe and stepped down. The President has since worked to rebuild the collapsed economy by uniting people across party lines and divisions.
The opposition once claimed that the IMF would never grant loans to President Wickremesinghe. Later, they alleged that President Wickremesinghe would postpone the presidential election. But even if there is a presidential election, he has said he will not request it. All these claims made by the opposition have been proven false. I am confident that by the end of his next five years, he will create an environment where the people of this country can live comfortably.
Meanwhile, within the SJB, internal strife is visible. When one member steps on stage, other steps down. Several MPs have boycotted their events—MP Rohini even skipped the Matale rally because of tensions with Susanta Punchinilame. A country cannot progress with such a divided group. This is the kind of politics Sajith Premadasa leads. In contrast, President Ranil Wickremesinghe has shown that he is the only leader capable of bringing all factions together and driving economic growth. Therefore, I urge the people of Matara to dedicate them to ensuring his victory.
The event was attended by the Maha Sangha, other religious clergy, Professor Maithree Wickramasinghe, former PC Members Pasanda Yapa Abeywardena and Gayan Sanjeewa, along with political representatives of the Matara District and a large gathering of people.
