We have plans to resuscitate economy now in tatters- Gota

• Will lift people out of poverty 

Presidential candidate of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Gotabaya Rajapaksa said he had a vision and mission to uplift people engulfed in poverty and resuscitate the economy which is now in tatters.  

Addressing the special convention of Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP), he said there were huge market opportunities opening up in the countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, and Japan, and Sri Lanka should cash in on this situation for its economic growth.   

“Today, Asia is developing rapidly,” he said.   

He said the country’s sovereignty had been compromised today because the present government embroiled Sri Lanka in the struggle among the world powers in Indian Ocean.   
“We should uphold sovereignty. We, as a small nation, should not be party to any power struggle. We used to stick to non-aligned foreign policies. Today, we have compromised these policies due to involvement of world powers. We are in Asia which is the economic powerhouse of the world today. We have to make use of this situation. We lost 30 years due to the war,” he said.   

He said brain power would be the main capital of this century in the future, and Sri Lanka should invest in the technology–driven sectors to create opportunities for the youths. He said though a large number of students sit for the G.C.E. Advanced Level Examination, only a small number of them could enter the universities. However, he said higher education opportunities should be afforded for all. “For that purpose, we intend to invest heavily in the education sector,” he said.    

• The present government embroiled Sri Lanka in the struggle among the world powers in Indian Ocean

Addressing the special convention of Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP), he said there were huge market opportunities opening up in the countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Japan and Sri Lanka should cash in on this situation for its economic growth.   “Today,  Asia is developing rapidly,” he said.   

He said the country’s sovereignty had been compromised today because the present government embroiled Sri Lanka in the struggle among the world powers in Indian Ocean.   
“We should uphold sovereignty. We, as a small nation, should not be party to any power struggle. We used to stick to non-aligned foreign policies. Today, we have compromised these policies due to involvement of world powers. We are in Asia which is the economic powerhouse of the world today. We have to make use of this situation. We lost 30 years due to the war,” he said.   

He said brain power would be the main capital of this century in the future, and Sri Lanka should invest in the technology–driven sectors to create opportunities for the youths. He said though a large number of students sit for the G.C.E. Advanced Level Examination, only a small number of them could enter the universities. However, he said higher education opportunities should be afforded for all. “For that purpose, we intend to invest heavily in the education sector,” he said.