INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
during his participation in the 150th Anniversary celebration of St
the success of the debt optimization programme, and emphasised the need to promptly initiate an economy-building strategy guided by sound
hurdle within a decade.The President expressed his vision of propelling the country forward through comprehensive modernization
To achieve this, he announced the establishment of the Technology Promotion Council and the Digital Transformation Commission, aimed at
He also graciously posed for a group photograph with the Alumni Association.During the same occasion, the President also conferred
certificates upon students who secured the top position in the district during the general education certificate examination.Following is
the speech delivered by President Ranil Wickremesinghe at this event;It has been a century and a half since the inception of St
During its establishment, the country relied on a plantation-based economy with a significant focus on coffee cultivation
However, within a few years, the coffee industry collapsed, causing a severe economic downturn and depriving the government of its revenue
Thomas College in Matale is commemorated today, the country finds itself grappling with an ongoing economic crisis
During that period, the prospect of recovery seemed bleak
A poignant example of this was the lack of volunteers to assume the role of Prime Minister after Mr
Typically, such vacancies are eagerly pursued, but in this case, no one stepped forward.Taking up the mantle of the presidency, I assumed
responsibility, formed a cabinet, and embarked on finding both short-term and long-term solutions to address the economic crisis
populace.As this year draws to a close, we hold the belief that our nation can overcome bankruptcy by successfully executing the credit
Achieving this necessitates stringent control over public expenditures and a shift toward a more productive economy
We have already begun implementing these measures
Sound financial discipline should guide our governance approach, extracting maximal benefits from each government institution
Initiatives to trim superfluous expenses within ministries are in the pipeline
leadership, with expectations of its completion by year-end.The proposed measures for domestic debt optimization have been successfully
passed in the Parliament, despite attempts to hinder the process through legal channels.The EPF has introduced a draft law aimed at
providing a 9% interest rate to all members, and this initiative is currently in progress
Consequently, there are no grounds to impede the advancement of this program
As stipulated in Article 04 of the Constitution, financial authority rests with the Parliament, thereby vesting it with the responsibility
and competence to execute these actions
All legal cases related to this matter have been dismissed by the Supreme Court.
Upon the completion of the debt optimization
endeavour, our focus should shift to the effective implementation of the subsequent economic program
Presently, there is a significant exodus of individuals from our nation
The departure of skilled experts and professionals has created a substantial void that cannot be easily filled
It is essential to reaffirm our commitment to establishing a robust economic foundation conducive to the well-being of all
citizens.Challenges confront our country today, primarily driven by insufficient government revenue and a trade imbalance skewed towards
higher import costs relative to exports
We must proactively address this concern by bolstering our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at a rapid pace, as an increased GDP directly
translates to heightened national income.Parallelly, we must intensify our efforts in the realm of exports
A comprehensive strategy for this endeavour should be formulated within the next decade.In the current landscape, conventional political
slogans have lost their relevance, even within both ruling and opposition parties
economic development, an annual influx of at least one billion dollars in foreign exchange is essential
The initial step toward achieving this goal involves augmenting foreign exchange inflows from existing sectors.Our primary income sources
are foreign employment and export earnings
Unfortunately, the economic situation in countries like Europe and America, particularly affecting the garment industry, has shown
Thus, our attention must pivot to tourism
following year.Additionally, there is a pressing need to double our export revenue
To achieve this, attracting investors and providing them with the requisite facilities is essential
technologies like artificial intelligence is paramount; our success or failure hinges on our ability to maintain this momentum.In line with
these objectives, plans are underway to establish several government and private universities
A subsidized loan program for students entering these institutions is also on the horizon
Our aim is to annually produce a minimum of 10,000 engineers and 7,500 doctors from Sri Lankan universities
The demand for IT expertise is also substantial, necessitating consistent efforts to meet these requirements.Our aspiration is to construct
a prosperous future for generations to come
To address this, we have established an economic commission tasked with centralizing relevant powers
This will streamline the investment approval process, eliminating the need to navigate various ministries for clearance, and consolidating
all procedures in one location.Drawing inspiration from Mr
necessary infrastructure for investments.In tandem, we aspire to double the annual influx of tourists to our country from 2.5 million to 5
The Matale district possesses immense potential to contribute significantly to the burgeoning tourism industry.Within the next two months,
we intend to unveil an agricultural modernization program
Our current agricultural output, whether in terms of rice or other crops, falls short
It is imperative to promote the cultivation of these products.Furthermore, we are in the process of establishing a Technology Promotion
Council with the aim of acquiring the necessary technical expertise for our nation
Concurrently, a Digital Transformation Commission will be formed to propel digitization across the country
Envisioning comprehensive modernization across all sectors, our objective is to shape a developed Sri Lanka by the year 2048.The event was
attended by a multitude of individuals, including Education Minister Dr
Gamage, Ministry of Education Secretary Nihal Ranasinghe, former judge and Chairman of the Human Rights Commission M.P.B
Dehideniya, Professor Chaminda Ratnayake, Vice Chancellor of NSBM Green University, General Shavendra Silva, Chief of Staff of the Tri
forces, Kaushalya Navaratne, President of the Sri Lanka Bar Association Dhammika Hewawasam, Principal of St
