10 June 2021 04:09 pm
The government called on businesses to carry out operations in a manner in which they do not violate the health protocols since the economy cannot handle a complete lockdown in the current circumstances.
Pointing out that economies are not designed for closures but for continuous progress, State Minister of Finance, Capital Markets and State Enterprise Reforms Ajith Nivard Cabraal said it is imperative for the business community to continue to work in a safe and secure manner.
“I am a great proponent that we should balance all these factors, we should balance the medical side with the economic side, and if we can do that, we can continue to face these current challenges in a much more cohesive manner than what we have done,” Cabraal told Sri Lanka Investment Forum, which concluded yesterday.
He asserted that there is “no way” to stop and restart an economy since doing so would result in massive losses for all sections of the business community and the population.
Since the start of the pandemic in March 2020 Sri Lanka has spent Rs.131 billion on COVID management control.