The Hon. M. Nizam Kariapper, PC

¶ 01 Thank you very much, Hon. Presiding Member. I will finish up quickly.

¶ 02 It is not only about stopping the moratorium. We also need a proper system to guide future entrepreneurs on how and from which banks they should obtain loans to start small businesses. I know your Government has some measures for this. However, as a lawyer, I must say that obtaining a normal commercial loan from a private bank will almost never allow small entrepreneurs to operate sustainably. We do not really know how successful the special development banks in Sri Lanka have been, because their task should not be merely disbursing funds. They must directly intervene in the projects, provide project-related inputs and expert knowledge, and institute mechanisms to motivate those entrepreneurs. I do not know to what extent the National Development Bank — which was legally constituted and is operating in Sri Lanka — successfully fulfills that role. If such a system already exists, then we can certainly move beyond the usual method of going to a private bank for a standard loan.

¶ 03 Hon. Presiding Member, I must also mention that, as a lawyer, I have obtained many orders to stay sole parate executions. In those situations, there are abuses on both sides.

¶ 04 I just need one more minute, Sir.

¶ 05 Even on the borrower’s side, not everyone uses the loans for new small-scale industry or enterprise development; there are issues there as well. Therefore, I conclude, hoping that this Government will consider all these matters and introduce practical measures acceptable to all. Thank you.