Govt. thanks international community for bond success

Nadira Gunatilleke and Uditha Kumarasingha

The Government yesterday extended a huge ‘thank you’ to the International community and banks for helping raise US dollars 1.5 billion responding to the bond issue.

Cabinet spokesman Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa said this demonstrated the trust the placed in the Government’s economic policies by the global financial community.

“We feel sorry for the failed anti patriotic campaign carried out by the Opposition Leader,” Minister Yapa said.

Addressing the weekly Cabinet press briefing at the Government Information Department Auditorium yesterday Minister Yapa said that the international community granted more funds than requested by the Government because of the faith in the Government’s economic policy and its ability in settling the loan.

The international community has completely ignored the Opposition Leader’s protests.

Earlier, the Opposition Leader campaigned around the world asking the international community and banks not to grant loans to the Sri Lankan Government. This is something that is unbecoming of an Opposition Leader in any country because it is a campaign against the development of the country and its people and not against the Government.

The campaign carried out by the Opposition Leader was based on sheer jealousy. “At least now he has to understand that politics cannot be done by boasts alone. He threatened the HSBC informing that if the UNP come into power his Government will not pay a single cent of the loan”.

The telecommunication sector has recorded a 20 per cent growth rate. The Government has planned to obtain a 10 percent economic growth rate within next 5-10 years.

The Government has already commenced a large number of giant development programmes such as the Hambantota Harbour Project, Maga Neguma, Gama Neguma, Eastern Development Programme etc and has planned many more similar development projects to be implemented in the near future.

It has also increased public sector salaries by a significant amount. The Government has also provided a large number of jobs.