The Monetary Board of the Central Bank, at its meeting held on 21 February 2019, decided to reduce the Statutory Reserve Ratio (SRR) applicable on all rupee deposit liabilities of commercial banks by 1.00 percentage point to 5.00 per cent with effect from 01 March 2019. The Board also decided to keep the policy interest rates of the Central Bank unchanged at their current levels, and accordingly, the Standing Deposit Facility Rate (SDFR) and the Standing Lending Facility Rate (SLFR) of the Central Bank will remain at 8.00 per cent and 9.00 per cent, respectively. The Board arrived at this decision following a careful analysis of current and expected developments in the domestic economy and the financial market as well as in the global economy, with the broad aim of stabilising inflation at mid single digit levels in the medium term to enable the economy to reach its potential.

It has come to my attention about an article dated 17.02.2019 published in LankaCNews website, stating to be of a letter addressed to me by Hon. Wimal Weerawansa, MP, regarding transactions pertaining to ETI Finance Ltd. Although, I have still not received such a letter, I wish to clarify the below points with respect to the said webpage.