Current government ended the era in which every entrepreneur from high level businessmen to the rambutan seller in the street bow-down to political influence, he said.
It was not suitable for politicians to interfere business activities and the Government will create the environment where the state and the private sectors should be able to operate in a transparent and free manner, the President said. He also said that the Government has created the environment for the Judiciary, the Police and the Public service to operate freely and independently and added that it was not the mandate of the government to locate private businesses and industrial estates.
President Sirisena pointed out that assistance from most countries have been extended to Sri Lanka by now due to the neutral foreign policy of the current government. He said Sri Lanka has gained comprehensive opportunities in the international market through the agreements with them. He also requested the entrepreneurs to get the fullest advantage of that.
President Sirisena pointed out that Sri Lanka's exports had dwindled from 30% of GDP to 12-13 % of GDP, while developed countries and Sri Lanka's neighbours had reported three or fold increases in exports as a ratio of GDP.
He added that all stakeholders in both the state and the private sectors should integrate to ensure the growth in the country's exports, he also stressed the need for the state sector to improve its efficiency and productivity as well.
The President said that Singapore, under the stewardship of Prime Minister Lee Kwan Yu had made it mandatory for all professionals to go through a phase of voluntary military training, which he said, ensured discipline, said that Sri Lankans also needed discipline to promote and increase economic growth.
He also stressed that a National Government was in place in Sri Lanka to ensure that there was consistency in national policy and not to have policies changed with changing governments and changing Ministers. There should be consistent government policy in all sectors, he remarked.
The President emphasized the need for the joint efforts of both the state and the private sectors in identifying the development priorities in the promotion of promoting international markets as well.
He also stressed that the government had a consistent foreign policy which meant that all countries were friendly towards Sri Lanka and that new innovations should be made in addition to the traditional exports so that Sri Lanka could increase its export revenue.
Sri Lanka Economic Summit 2015, which commenced 16 years ago, is the flagship event of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and focuses on discussing the most critical issues of the economy. The theme of this year’s summit was ‘Towards Exports of US $ 50 billion’.
Sri Lankan Finance Minister, President of Sri Lanka Chamber of Comerece Samantha Ranatunga, Vice-President Rajendra Thyagaraja were among those participated at this occasion.
