The Hon. Vijitha Herath - Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, first, we offer our respects to all communities—Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim, Burgher and Malay—who gave a great mandate to the National People’s Power. We especially salute the people of Gampaha District.

¶ 02 Hon. Presiding Member, the new Government of the National People’s Power has a clear policy and a clear programme. We are not governing in a hurry without policy or plan. Some may think we run it with shortcuts—no. We prepared a clear policy and placed it before the people. A significant majority approved it. Accordingly, in the last Presidential Election our leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake became President.

¶ 03 Thereafter, we governed with a Cabinet of only three—Sri Lanka’s smallest ever. In that period, public confidence in us further increased, due to political and economic changes we began. Consequently, we received an even larger mandate at the Parliamentary Election than at the Presidential.

¶ 04 We have taken over governance under a long-term strategic policy and programme, with a heavy responsibility, which we are committed to fulfill. While implementing the long-term programme, we must establish the necessary legal framework. For that, Parliament must act, and certain short-term measures are needed. The first step was the Interim Appropriation presented yesterday. Its necessity arises because a full Appropriation for the coming year has not been presented or passed, and we lack the time frame to do so. Therefore, to meet day-to-day expenditure for a short period, we have presented an Interim Account. It contains no long-term strategic measures. In past instances, interim accounts were presented similarly. The long-term economic strategy’s first-year programme will be presented at the upcoming Budget at the beginning of next year, based on our published policy.

¶ 05 Alongside the long-term plan, we have some short-term measures already initiated. One is the IMF programme. Whether we like it or not, the IMF programme is in motion; debt restructuring has progressed. International sovereign bond restructuring was at its final stage when we took office, though there may be deficiencies or alternative ideas. However, we cannot reopen and prolong ISB restructuring talks; doing so would set the process back. Through the IMF programme we seek to manage the economic crisis we face. To build the economy long-term, we must implement a production-based economic programme. We understand that. The IMF programme can only help manage the crisis. We will take necessary steps to manage it. The Opposition proposes that we modify the agreement scheduled to be signed on the 12th. No, we do not have time. We must complete the ISB restructuring according to the agreed timelines. Cabinet has approved it. We will proceed, because we must present a Budget next year with targets for GDP and growth; to meet those, we must finish this task within the time frame.

¶ 06 While the long-term production-based economy takes time to yield returns, we need immediate foreign exchange. Therefore, we are focusing on sectors that can quickly earn forex: chiefly tourism. We have set targets for arrivals, service quality, and infrastructure improvements. Production-based returns will take time, but tourism can bring quick forex, so we are giving it priority.

¶ 07 Similarly, foreign employment remittances are vital. We are launching an immediate operation to promote foreign employment. There have been wrong methods: using others’ names, collecting money fraudulently. We urge the public to avoid such scams. Recently, there was the E-8 visa issue regarding sending workers to Korea for agriculture and fisheries for about six months under a so-called agreement. That was not a lawful intergovernmental agreement. Any such MoU must have prior Cabinet approval and involve the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau. Regrettably, a former Labour Minister privately signed with a Korean province; even the SLBFE does not officially have a copy, though private agents do. It is unlawful. Due to this irregularity, many E-8 visa holders suffered. We are working to regularize the process and then provide lawful opportunities for foreign employment.

¶ 08 Many Sri Lankans fall victim to irregular employment, including in Myanmar’s cyber zones. Previously, with the intervention of former Foreign Ministers and Opposition MPs, many stranded Sri Lankans were freed. But it has not stopped. People continue going via Thailand to areas on the Thai-Myanmar border not controlled by regular governments, but by irregular armed groups.

¶ 09 Recently, with the intervention of Ven. Asaji Thera of Maligawila and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we were able to facilitate the return of 32 persons. They are being processed through our Embassy in Thailand. Five say they went willingly and have given statements, creating legal hurdles. Information suggests 14 more remain, and two more are being brought back today, with details of 12 others known. We urge the public: do not fall prey to such racketeers and risk your lives; always verify where you are being taken, especially to areas beyond the Thai-Myanmar border.