Thursday, December 10, 2009

Sri Lankans are getting richer, Finance Secretary says



Sri Lankans are steadily getting richer despite the devastating effects of a three-decade long civil war and the worst global economic crisis according to the Finance Ministry Secretary Dr. P B Jayasundara.

Delivering a speech at the sixth Annual General Meeting of The Spice Council (TSC) at the Galle Face Hotel on Tuesday as the chief guest, Dr. Jayasundara claimed that Sri Lanka is not a poor country any more and its per capita income has risen from S 1,000 to $ 2,200 within the last few years.

According to World Bank statistics the Gross National Income per capita in Sri Lanka has risen from $880 in 2000 to $1,780 in 2008.

Dr. Jayasundara expressed confidence that Sri Lanka could even double the per capita income in another five years.

"We strongly believe that we could double the current per capita income from $ 2,200 to about $ 4,400 in less than five years in this favourable situation. Our final goal is to develop the country as a high income country as soon as possible," he said.

The Secretary pointed out that the present government has removed all the impediments to country's development by elimination of the war. The government has provided a favorable environment for private sector development by initiating mega infrastructure development projects in the country, he said.

Even during the time of war the government continued the development projects, he stressed.

Expressing hope for increase economic growth as the global economy recovers from its slump, Dr. Jayasundara said the country is expected to benefit from its open economy that depends heavily on exports, remittances, tourism, and capital flows.

© Colombo Page

Related Links:
P.B. Jayasundara Saga and Triangle of Corruption - The Lanka Sun
P.B.Jayasundara before SC on Oct 8 - The Sunday Times
Treasury Secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundara tenders resignation - Colombo Page
Sri Lanka: The Human Development Index - Human Development Report 2009
Poverty in Sri Lanka - Department of Census & Statistics

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1 comment:

Teresa Furelos said...

It is an offense for Sri Lankans if somebody says they are getting richer in the current situation.

The only ones who have the idea of getting richer perhaps are the people who are invading Tamil homeland and count on keeping their land for business proposes.

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