30-year war cost Sri Lanka over US$ 400 Billion
The Government yesterday (13) said, that failure to manage the ethnic issue had resulted in the country’s economy losing billions over the years.
Leader of the House and Minister of Higher Education and Highways, Lakshman Kiriella joined the second reading debate on the Budget 2018 and said, that as a result of the 30-year war the country may have incurred a loss of more than US$ 400 billion.
“We failed to manage the ethnic problem which evolved into a war situation that prevailed for 30 years. No one has calculated the total cost of the war. I got the Parliament Research Unit to find me the documents to get an understanding of the cost of the war.
The Research Unit gave me a document which stated the cost to the Government was at US$ 200 billion. It also said that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam too, had spent an equal sum. So, the total cost of the war is around US$ 400 billion. We should sort out the ethnic problem. Now, we have engaged in a process of seeking the opinions of all parties in the Parliament to solve the national problem,” the Minister said.
He also said that Sri Lanka had a surplus economy at the time of independence and did not have any debt.
“More than 60 years have passed since then. Several parties ruled this country since then. As at today our total debts amount to US$ 7,000 billion. We started projects such as Inginiyagala with our own funds. However, some decades after independence, we became a nation depending on loans. All parties that ruled this country since independence should be held responsible for this load of debts,” he added.
The Leader of the House also said that even though former President Mahinda Rajapaksa had ended the war, he had failed to develop the economy.
“He could not attract investments. We should address the economic problems of the youth. This year’s budget is geared to address the youth and their needs,” the Minister said.
(Source: Ceylon Today – By Gagani Weerakoon and Methmalie Dissanayake)
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Oh! That is what the Rajapaksha clan saved the country. As Jahapalakaya stated, if they siphoned off some of these during their time in government, what solid evidence (at least) let alone the cash itself, have they unearthednow, after considerable time into investigations?
sirisena the incumbent president is an honorable man. if he is to save his honor then he ought to have some integrity. sirisena served under several presidents spaning several decades and a few years in the opposition. so sirisena ought to know a lot since the scandals broke out soon after sirimavo.
during sirimavos reign of terror in the 70’s she did some good things like promoting self reliance by setting up big industries with foreign aid and seral hundred local industries. she gave impetus to delop agriculture by banning the movement of paddy between districts, fertiliser subsidies, guranteed prices. the opposition as is usual undermined her policies by false propagand evebn by some of her part memmbers probably sirisena included. with all these problems she manged the budget and balance of payments. i recall then the cn had tight grip on foreign exchange. Then the only travel allowance granted was 3 pounds 10 shillings! further to be ticketed CB had to authorise. Compare the current status.
The current government is ratcheting up the foreign debt on an unprecedented scale and no startegy to rdeem the debt and nothing compared to the past tw decades.