At the inaugural session of the new Parliament, Sri Lanka’s president announced an imminent new debt deal with the International Monetary Fund. Tourism, commerce and new technologies are the leading sectors “to aim for a development that distributes its benefits to everyone.” “Racist policies will not be allowed to be imposed again.”
Colombo () – “We have already shed enough blood and tears over racial and religious divisions. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that future generations are free from these conflicts,” said Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, speaking this morning at the inaugural session of Sri Lanka’s 10th Parliament, elected last week.
After the election of Asoka Sapumal Ranwala as Speaker of the Assembly, Dissanayake presented the Political Declaration of the Government in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution. In his speech he declared that racist policies will not be allowed to be imposed again and pledged to prevent the resurgence of religious extremism in the country: “No one will enjoy legal immunity under this government, we are committed to creating a democratic State free of fear and suspicion. Freedom is something that all of us have in common. We must consolidate the rule of law,” he stated.
“The laws passed must be applied correctly and the public must be convinced that the law is operational. However, in recent times people have lost faith in this regard. “No politician or person in authority is above the law.” Although he denied vengeful intentions, he promised that “the authors of the serious crimes in the country’s recent history, whose impunity has created tensions in public opinion, will be brought to justice.”
Regarding economic priorities, Dissanayake said the government hopes to reach a new agreement with the International Monetary Fund on November 22 and intends to sign separate agreements with each of the official creditors. To address the economic collapse, the president called for a new economic framework that would rapidly expand the production of goods and services. But he stressed the importance of involving citizens in the economy: “If the benefits of what we produce are limited to only a part of the population, they will not be effective. Our policy will be to guarantee that they reach everyone equitably.”
Regarding tourism, Dissanayake noted the goal of generating $8 billion in revenue in the next three to four years. He explained that he intended to target the growth of information technology professionals, and for the country to be competitive in global markets, these must reach 200,000 in five years, compared to the current 85,000. He went on to highlight Sri Lanka’s potential as a commercial and maritime hub.
The president described the situation of indebted farmers as “a great social tragedy, despite the important investments in the sector” and pointed out the need to develop agricultural planting companies and strengthen the entire sector through new subsidies to reactivate the rural communities. He also promised to increase allocations for “Aswesuma” social benefit payments as part of the commitment to fight poverty.
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