News
Sajith accuses govt. of stifling economic growth with high interest rates
By Wasantha Samarawardana
The government was trying to overcome the economic crisis by causing the economy to contract, Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa said in Kegalle recently.
“They are taking steps to minimise economic activities, bring down the quality of life and to reduce the circulation of money in the economy. This is why interest rates are so high. Can small and medium scale industries operate taking loans at close to 30 percent interest?”
Premadasa said that due to the harsh tax policies of the government, many professionals were leaving the country.
“Doctors and engineers are leaving in droves. Soon the nurses will leave. Then what? What the country needs is humanitarian capitalism.”
The Opposition Leader said that the Cabinet of ministers insisted that the country was bankrupt. Not long ago, Sri Lanka had been designated a middle-income country, he said.
“Does the UNP-SLPP government have a plan to dig the country out of the hole it is in? It does not. In fact, they just want to hurt people. We can’t come out of the crisis by stifling economic activity; we must encourage economic activities. We can’t save the country through either communism or harsh capitalism. We must bring in foreign direct investments. For this we need to be good in diplomacy. Only the SJB has people with the right skill set to do so.”
Following the conclusion of bilateral discussions between President Anura Kumara Disanayake and Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, official-level talks between the delegations of Sri Lanka and India commenced this morning (05) at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo.
Representing the Government of Sri Lanka were Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath; Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Anil Jayantha; Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake; Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Dr. P. Nandalal Weerasinghe, along with other senior officials.
The Indian delegation included Minister of External Affairs Dr. S. Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and His Excellency Santosh Jha, High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, along with several other senior officials of the Government of India.
Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, who arrived in Sri Lanka on the invitation of President Anura Kumara Disanayake on Friday [04] night, visited the Presidential Secretariat this morning (05).
The Indian Prime Minister was warmly welcomed by President Anura Kumara Disanayake upon his arrival at the Presidential Secretariat.
Prime Minister Modi is currently on a state visit to Sri Lanka, reaffirming the theme “Friendship of Centuries — Commitment to a Prosperous Future” which symbolises the longstanding ties between Sri Lanka and India. The Indian Premier is scheduled to remain in the country until tomorrow (06).
[PMD]
The official welcoming ceremony for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was held this morning (05) at the Independence Square in Colombo.
On arrival at the Independence Square the Indian Prime Minister was warmly welcomed by President Anura Kumara Disanayake.
Discussions between Sri Lankan and Indian delegations at the presidential secretariat
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Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi arrives at the presidential secretariat
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