President at Central Bank function:
Development dividends will reach remotest corners
Sandasen MARASINGHE
* ‘Certain politicians make false statements for petty political
gain’
* More than 55 percent growth in rural areas
The government’s objective is to guarantee that the dividends of the
highest economic development that the country has so far achieved,
reached the remotest corners of the country, including the North and
East, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said yesterday.
The President was speaking after receiving the Annual Report 2011 of
the Central Bank from Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal at the Central Bank.
He said the government has formulated such a mechanism and the
massive development projects initiated in the remote areas of the
country bear testimony to this initiative
President Rajapaksa said the country was able to maintain an economic
growth rate of 8.3 percent last year and the per capita income increased
to US $ 2,835. He said unlike in the past, more than 55 percent of the
growth is concentrated in the rural areas.
The President noted this historic economic growth could be achieved
at a time a majority of countries were in a crisis situation and mainly
due to the fact that the country was able to see the back of terrorism
that devastated human resources and also due to the fact that the
government was able to put in place many strategic policies.
He added that even during the Humanitarian Operation, the government
had initiated massive development projects to make the country a hub of
many sectors. “Today most of them are reaching completion,” President
Rajapaksa said.
The President said although the country eliminated terrorism leading
to economic progress, local and international organisations which
manipulated the LTTE, are still functioning and are reluctant to see the
enormous development that has taken place in the North and East.
He added they were blind to the fact that more than Rs 260 billion
was utilised in the North and East for infrastructure development.
President Rajapaksa said these people including certain politicians
make false statements for petty political gain.
He added the room for foreign intervention in the country was created
through terrorism. He said those who attempt to solve our problems
suffer due to numerous issues in their own countries.
President Rajapaksa said reconciliation cannot be made overnight as
suggested by outsiders as hatred was spread for three decades by the
terrorists.
He added the government has not ceased to make peace achieved at
great sacrifice, a permanent one.
The President said: “Suggestions made by outsiders could be short
term. We can reach our solutions with mutual understanding.”
Centarl Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal, Central Bank Deputy
Governor Chandra Premaratne, Central Bank Economic Affairs Department
Director Swrna Gunaratne also spoke .
International Monetary Cooperation Senior Minister Sarath Amunugama,
Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa, Finance and Planning
Deputy Minister Gitanjana Gunawardena, Secretary to the President Lalith
Weeratunga and Deputy Governor of Central Bank Ananda Silva also
participated. |