PREZ’S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLANS LACK PM’S SUPPORT - SB

President Maithripala Sirisena is sincere in holding out a plan for Economic Development for the country, which does not gather any support from the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance, said MP S. B. Dissanayake yesterday.

Speaking further he said that the Ministry of Finance does not extend any support to the Economic Council set up by the President, having brought down Sri Lankan born Prof. Lalith Samarakoon a proven Economic specialist hailing from the Harvard University of USA.

President Sirisena was compelled to abolish the Economic Management Committee headed by PM Wickremesinghe and set up the Economic Council

MP Dissanayake made these remarks at a media briefing held at the Free Media centre, by the group of 16 SLFP MPS who left the government.

He also stressed that President Sirisena was compelled to abolish the Economic Management Committee headed by PM Wickremesinghe and set up the Economic Council as the Sri Lankan economy was deteriorating continuously.

Taking into consideration the plight of the economy under the Economic Management Committee, the President had insisted on its abolition, and drew up an Economic Management Programme under the Economic Council headed by Lalith Samarakoon.

When this programme was about to be launched in the presence of Ministry Secretaries and Heads of Departments, the Premier and the Finance Minister left the sessions stating that no point in wasting time as they had already read it. MP Dissanayake continued saying that Prof. Samarakoon does not receive any cooperation from the Ministry of Finance even now and continue to obstruct him.

He reiterated that the PM and the Finance Minister are engaged in destroying the country’s economy by welcoming foreign entrepreneurs and disrupting local enterprises.