My economic efforts are people-centric, not regional: Gota

By Lahiru Pothmulla 

SLPP presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa said his economic plans were people-centric and aimed at uplifting everyone’s living standards. 

He expressed these views while speaking at the upcountry youth forum held last Saturday at Waters Edge in Battaramulla. 

“As a whole, my economic and development plans are not limited to one region but people-centric. Any development plan should be inclusive to increase the income of all citizens instead of making a selected group of people rich. Although the per capita income is high in the country, some people still live below the poverty line. There is no point if our development projects don’t benefit all citizens and if one faction is always poor. There should be a system to uplift the livelihood of people who are below the poverty line,” he said. 
On a different note, he said the estate sector was the highest foreign exchange earner of the country and that it was time for export diversification. 

“It is unfair if we stick only to tea when speaking of the estate sector. The livelihood of the people in the region should be uplifted. The youth have to tap the tourism sector in order to do this. The children in the region should be given equal educational opportunities,” he said. 

Says it’s time for export diversification