President’s timely intervention secures 10% US tariff rate, says Mahinda Samarasinghe

Colombo, July 24 (Daily Mirror)- Strong Bilateral relations between the United States and Sri Lanka, timely action and relevant directives on the part of the President, hard work and focused negotiations by the Sri Lankan delegation has resulted in the reduction of tariff rates to 10 percent, Sri Lankan Ambassador to the United States Mahinda Samarasinghe said.

He said in a statement that Sri Lanka should not be complacent moving forward, as there are more challenges to overcome in order to sustain this positive outcome. 

"Strong Bilateral relations between the US and Sri Lanka, timely action and relevant directives on the part of the President, hard work and focused negotiations by the Sri Lankan delegation, comprising Finance Secretary Harshana Suriyapperuma (leader of the delegation), Governor of the Central Bank Nandalal Weerasinghe, Trade Secretary Vimalenthirarajah, Chief Economic Advisor and BOI Chairman Duminda Hulangamuwa and Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the United States Mahinda Samarasinghe and the day to day coordination, intelligence gathering, advice and building of goodwill by the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Washington DC, resulted in this favorable outcome for Sri Lanka," he said. 

"As I complete my relatively long tenure as Ambassador in a few days’ time, I would like to leave behind a word of caution that we should not be complacent moving forward, as there are more challenges to overcome in order to sustain this positive outcome," Samarasinghe further said.

Samarasinghe said he is ready to offer his assistance to the President and the sovernment if requested and added that there is absolutely nothing that Sri Lankans cannot achieve if they work as a team while setting aside political agendas in the best interest of our beloved motherland.