The government has introduced an economic agenda with the aim of making Sri Lanka a high income country by 2030 or 2032. We have to achieve this target, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said.
“We will set up a set of National Policies and then the policies will remain even when regimes change. The National Unity Government was established with this aim. The people will decide who should stay and who should go, “the Prime Minister said.
Addressing over 1,000 public management assistants recruited to the public service at Temple Trees yesterday, the Prime Minister said once the country is developed all the benefits will go to the people and children.
“The public service and all other sectors will be used to make Sri Lanka a high income country by 2032. Now Sri Lanka is a middle income country,” the Premier said.
According to the Prime Minister, the new recruits joined the public service during a crucial time because the world is undergoing a major change. There are many technological and economic changes taking place in Asia and the Indian Ocean promoting large scale development in the region,” he said.
“Sri Lanka has already joined this changing process and the world has undergone tremendous progress by the time the newly recruits retire in another 30 or 40 years. Some may start their own private enterprises before that,” Prime Minister Wickremesinghe said.
The Prime Minister pointed out that since 1990, Sri Lanka implemented the free trade economy and it achieved progress and development while undergoing a recession in 2008.But, the development of Asia did not stop. In the past the peoples of India, China, and Sri Lanka etc thought that the Government would provide everything. We had to wait in line to obtain two loafs of bread and only the lucky people got them. Only two yards of linen was provided for a person. I got two tyres for my four wheel vehicle per year. Those countries adopted the free trade economy,” he said.
“This economic system is the oldest in the world and ‘Thapassu and Bhalluka’ merchants brought it to Sri Lanka. After 200 or 300 years Mihindu Thera came to Sri Lanka. Even Buddhism received from a foreign country. All techniques used to construct tanks and to build Chetiya were introduced to Sri Lanka from abroad. There will be no development if the Government tries to control everything. A vehicle cannot move when the breaks and the accelerator are used at once. A lot of recruits have come from rural areas and not from big towns. These areas need to be modernized but the Government does not have money,” the Premier said.
“Local investors also do not have money. We need to bring foreign investors to do it,” the Premier said.
“During the first decade China used foreign investors and during the second decade the local investors joined. Only during the third decade Chinese investors took over. We have to follow this methodology. We cannot do it with outdated ideas and concepts. There is no country in the world except North Korea where the Government provides employments for all,” Premier Wickremesinghe said.
“The Government cannot carry out all development activities along. There should be an agreement to develop the country and we achieved it by presenting the `Common Candidate. This is the first step. As the second step, the two main political parties joined after the General Election. With the National policies, Sri Lanka can achieve development similar to UK within a very short time. In UK, India etc the policies do not change with the regime changes. There will be no big change in US policies with the departure of President Obama and arrival of President Trump, the Premier said. “Last year was spent on reducing the country’s debt and increase the Government’s income. Due to the steps taken, during the past 12 days of 2017, the Government took a giant step to introduce an initial change to the economy. The country’s debt has reduced and with the US $ 5000 million worth investments received due to Hambantota port project. The European market is open now due to the restoration of the GSP Plus. India and Japan are helping develop the Trincomalee harbour, the Premier said
“A large amount of investments are flowing in to the country and we have to develop the country through implementation of the programmes. An economic agenda will be formulated after discussions with the President. Projects to be handled by the state sector, private sector etc will be identified,” the Premier said. “Once the agenda is formulated all will be informed about it and a huge reorganization process will be take place. The newly recruited will not be required to handle 50 or more files by the time they leave the public service because by that time all data will be in a small mobile phone or a laptop. India and other countries have already introduced this programme. India is a short while away from Sri Lanka by air. Once the country is developed, all can have a good house, vehicle, with the children provided with a sound local or foreign education and the people enjoying a good life,” the Premier added. (CDN)
