Ajith Nivard Cabraal

During 2015-2019, Sri Lanka’s economic growth had collapsed gradually from 7% to 2%. Although foreign debt increased by USD 15 billion, foreign reserves had reduced by USD 1 billion.

Tourism is a 10-billion-dollar industry, and for the last two years we have not been able to enjoy the fruits of that.

The Government has spent more than Rs. 700 billion on controlling the COVID-19 pandemic and providing relief to people and that it is exactly half of the overall income of this country last year which was Rs. 1,380 billion…Rs. 50 billion had been spent on low-income earning families receiving Samurdhi allowances, Rs. 90 billion on providing medicines free of charge, Rs. 40 billion on behalf of disabled war heroes, Rs. 250 billion for pensions, Rs. 35 billion for fertiliser subsidies as well as Rs. 70 billion on various types of relief for state institutions running at a loss.