'We’re Paying Our Debt—And Doing It Right' - Finance Secretary

COLOMBO (News 1st); Harshana Suriyapperuma, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, asserted that Sri Lanka is not waiting until 2028 to start repaying its debt, in a bold clarification aimed at dispelling misconceptions,

The country, he emphasized, is already meeting its obligations.

"It’s a myth that Sri Lanka will begin debt repayment in 2028. We’ve been paying consistently," Suriyapperuma stated. "In 2024, we paid over a billion dollars. In 2025, again, billions. These payments have been made on time, alongside other debt discharges."

He further explained that the projected increase in 2028 is only marginal compared to what has already been paid in 2025.

The Finance Secretary credited this progress to strict fiscal discipline and a two-pronged approach: maximizing revenue and controlling expenditure. 

“Every rupee is spent responsibly because it’s taxpayers’ money,” he stressed.

Suriyapperuma also highlighted the success of cash flow management, which enabled the Treasury to maintain reserves and even retire some local rupee-denominated debt.