ECONOMYNEXT – Endorsing a view expressed by President Ranil Wickremesinghe that Sri Lanka must be developed into a hub of the Indo-Pacific region, main opposition Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) MP Dr Harsha de Silva called for a united, multi-party government to “work towards creating this new Sri Lanka.”

“[President Wickremesinghe] in inaugural address says [Sri Lanka] must be developed in to a modern export oriented competitive social market economy as a hub of the emerging Indo-Pacific economic domain. I agree  [100 percent],” de Silva tweeted on Wednesday August 03.

“We must come together; specifically an all or multi party government for a limited period of time to work towards creating this new [Sri Lanka] on a common minimum program. If so future generations would vindicate us,” he added.

Political analysts say the SJB’s response to President Wickremesinghe’s open invitation for an all-party government has been less than warm.

On Tuesday, SJB parliamentarian S M Marikkar said that the party will support an economic recovery programme that will see Sri Lanka put on the right path, but it has no desire to take up positions in the cabinet. The party does not wish to burden the public with a 40-minister strong cabinet, he claimed.

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SJB and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa writing to the President on Tuesday said the party accepts his invitation to discuss the proposed restoration of the 19th amendment to the constitution and parliamentary oversight committees.

President Wickremesinghe has written to all members of parliament, inviting them to join an all-party government to see Sri Lanka through what has become its worst economic crisis since Independence.

In his parliamentary speech on Wednesday, he expressed his belief that, before the end of the 21st century, the Indo Pacific region will be the most powerful economic domain in the world.

“In this context, the strategic geographical location of our country is extremely important. We should make best use of this favourable position. Bearing this in mind, our future corporate laws and policies should be formulated. A country cannot be sustained by taking loans, and therefore should reduce the borrowings to the extent possible. Therefore, I am joining with you hounorable MPs in compiling rules and regulations and policies that will allow our country to get maximum benefit from the Indian Ocean centric new economic power,” he said.

Wickremesinghe urged all parties to get rid of traditional thinking in striving to build the Sri Lankan nation.

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(Colombo/Aug03/2022)