Growth momentum assured - minister Amunugama

Ramani KANGARAARACHCHI

Sri Lanka could maintain the growth momentum this year as the North and East are integrated with the national economy. International Monetary Cooperation Senior Minister Dr Sarath Amunugama told the Daily News.

He said that 2010 and 2011 showed that the country can reach this target. "All GDP targets are indicative targets. But some factors such as climate change and food cannot be controlled," he said.

'If all these things are in order, the country should remain at an eight percent growth.

'The North and East people are outstanding farmers and workers. Rural farmers and workers are pushing the economy forward, he said. Dr Amunugama said: "Urban workers are fast becoming redundant. With new technology, these urban workers either have to work harder or perish. Parasites who are dragging a large part of the national income which they do not create must be removed.

'They do not add anything to the national economy. They are asking for salary increases when it should be the reverse.

'Their salaries should be reduced and more funds should be allocated for farmers and workers in rural areas, he said.

Dr Amunugama said workers do not realize that by their behaviour they are forcing investors to seek science and technology to replace them.

'This leads the country to go for a complete change of its education system. The people who have vested interest in the old system are agitating.

'They do not realize that unless the education system is modernized, the country cannot move forward and will have economic problems. 'No work more pay', syndrome has to be replaced with the people who can adapt to new technology, he said.