The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake

¶ 01 I will take one more minute, Madam.

¶ 02 On SVAT, when we discussed it today, the Deputy Minister said that unless it is digitized, it will not function to their satisfaction. Now a risk-reduction exercise has been done. Though it was said today that this will be operated by a fully computerized system, we have learned it is being handled through manual intervention. This only helps our exporters by 10–12%. If they pay 18% VAT, from a 10% profit they are driven into an 8% loss. I urge all Hon. Members to please discuss this seriously. With talk of officials coming to “heat their chairs,” this government cannot run businesses. That is why some public servants have not even started a small betel shop, let alone run anything substantial. I am not only talking about the government; many officials have never run even a roadside stall. Those who implemented and execute policy know the burden and difficulty. We welcome the 5% increase, but if it affects the bottom line, our competitiveness falls.

¶ 03 In other systems, the IMF does not seek to provide any tax relief. If such relief is not given, 63% of this country’s economy—the SME sector—will be decimated. Our companies fear, and finally the business migrates to Dubai, to Bahrain, to Malaysia—this is why. Please change this, Hon. Minister. We are not saying this with malice or in a bad spirit. We feel it, because when a problem arises, it bounces back to us. We need an economy to be run. Now you have a strengthened economy. Whatever anyone says, it is because President Ranil Wickremesinghe strengthened the economy, and that impetus was even upheld by the Supreme Court. Whether you like it or not, it is that thrust that has enabled present operations. You are taking the IMF programme forward because the path is correct. Otherwise, you could have changed it, as you promised. You did not, because there is no alternative. People curse J. R. Jayewardene for opening the economy, but there is no alternative to an open economy—this is why even Anura Dissanayake goes along that path. Do not change it. Because of that path, the UNP built Mahaweli, strengthened education, and created Mahapola. 90% of Members here studied through the Mahapola Scholarship Fund. Protect such things and move forward. It is through these that the economy is strengthened.