Looking ahead on foundations of success
Lucien Rajakarunanayake
Continued from
Saturday (2)
In his recent Op-Ed piece to mark the 5th anniversary of the tsunami,
published in the Huffington Post the most widely read online newspaper
in the United States and among the ten most visited of such Internet
publications worldwide - President Rajapaksa went into further detail
rather than speculation about the actual situation of Sri Lanka’s
recovery, both from the tsunami and terrorism. This is part of what he
wrote to the Huffington Post:
Significant promise
“For a country that has managed average economic growth of over six
percent since 2005, despite our difficulties, it is clear that our
promise is significant, something that is beginning to be recognized
internationally.
“In October 2007, in the midst of the sub-prime crisis, Sri Lanka
floated its debut U.S. $500 million sovereign bond which was three times
over-subscribed.
And in October of last year the Government issued a second $500
million sovereign bond that received the highest oversold subscription
of the year, over 13 times over-subscribed, while both Fitch and S&P
have revised their ratings from ‘negative’ to ‘stable’.
“Analysts are now excitedly talking about Sri Lanka as the next
Singapore and comprehensive plans are being put in place to make this
vision a reality.
“We are increasingly seeing large investment funds flood money into
the country, not as an act of generosity, but because they see the
potential that is being unlocked in Sri Lanka.”
In the midst of such sentiment I shall conclude by these quotations
from the President’s New Year message.
“With the cost and pain of conflict behind us, my Government will
now be even more focused on diverting our energies to development;
continuing the many massive projects we launched in the midst of the
fight against terror, and launching new ventures to bring to our country
the progress it has been denied from the time of independence.
“We have in sight a period of reconciliation and tolerance having
shown the world our success in resettling nearly 300,000 internally
displaced citizens within a given target, with most of them already back
in their homes or in familiar terrain. Similarly, we will not be held
back by threatened economic sanctions or withdrawn trade concessions by
those who seek strategic interference in the national affairs of Sri
Lanka, at a time when our people are moving towards a decisive stage in
the political development of the country.
“We remain committed to a strengthened and sustained friendship with
the countries that supported us in full measure to defeat terrorism and
bring peace to our people. Similarly, we shall foster and encourage good
relations with those who recognize and respect our sovereignty and
encourage us in ways to move on the path to peace and prosperity.”
Concluded |
