The country’s economic performance will make strides with the planned industrial zones in Bingiriya, Hambantota and Trincomalee, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe told Parliament yesterday.
He was speaking towards the end of the Budget debate when the House took up the Expenditure Heads of the Ministries coming under his purview. Countering claims by UPFA MP Bandula Gunawardena that the golden era of the economy was under former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the PM reminded the House how the income from garments and textile exports dropped sharply during the period from 2004-2014.
The PM pointed out that it was Bangladesh which got a golden era due to drop in garments exports from Sri Lanka.
The PM, observing that the country was debt-ridden when he assumed duties in 2015, said that the situation has gradually been improved with much difficulty.
“Due to the restraint policies we followed, we even lost many local government bodies. This was because we told the truth during the difficult period. However, today we have a surplus in our Primary Account after 70 years. Then what is the golden era of the country, the era where the debt was increased or the era where we made a surplus in the Primary Account?” he asked.
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