The Hon. Amila Prasad

¶ 01 Throughout this week, we have been hearing about the problem of money transfers: the crisis that arose when funds were transferred from Sri Lanka to a suspicious account. The Ministry of Digital Economy must be accountable for this as well. If in a country like Sri Lanka there are serious irregularities in money transfers, it will not create a conducive environment for investors to come to the country. When such crises are created within the Government, investors will not be inclined to bring funds to Sri Lanka and invest. Therefore, the Government must be more mindful about crises for which public officials are being made scapegoats. Public officials too should remember that given the current environment, whenever a crisis occurs, the Government tends to lay the blame on officials and wash its hands of responsibility, compelling officials to ensure their own protection.

¶ 02 The next issue is the obstacles and harassment created for existing businesses in Sri Lanka while the Government says it wants to improve the business climate by bringing laws and regulations. This week I went to Negombo to buy some crabs in Waella, and those selling crabs told us about the impediments they face from the authorities: the Municipal Council and some area councillors are trying to relocate the crab stalls to designated “coded” places and to use that land for other purposes; around 1,500 people are employed there, and they are also preparing documents to evict them. They shared these problems with us. So while the Government shouts every morning that it wants to build new businesses and provide facilities, we say: allow the small businesses that currently keep the economy going to operate with ease. Allocate suitable areas, develop them, and if relocations are needed, do so properly. Do not carry out arbitrary actions.

¶ 03 We also received another message from those businesspeople: that some Ministers and Chairmen of local authorities are creating “Vesak zones” and demanding money from businesses. Voluntarily offering a dansala or organizing a festival during Vesak out of one’s own wish is one thing. But using State power and exploiting the subservience that State power commands to collect money is wrong.

¶ 04 In particular, hire-car drivers at the Airport say they are being told that unless they pay the required amount, they will be obstructed from obtaining their hire vehicles.