PB rules out election budget
by Shamindra Ferdinando-October 9, 2014, 9:35 pm
Secretary to the Treasury, Dr. P. B. Jayasundera yesterday assured the business community that President Mahinda Rajapaksa would present a development oriented budget for 2015 though a section of the media speculated that the government was planning to unveil a basket of goodies with an eye on the forthcoming national election.
Dr. Jayasundera was responding to reports that he was preparing a budget to facilitate the incumbent president’s re-election campaign.
President Rajapaksa was among those in the audience. The corporate sector as well as many foreign delegates attended the conclave.
Addressing ‘ Capital Market Conference’ at the Cinnamon Lakeside, Dr. Jayasundera stressed that budget 2015 would be in line with the government strategy to strengthen the economy and infrastructure development.
The event was organised by the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) in collaboration with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka.
Dr. Jayasundera said: "Although there was a reference made in last weekend media that the 2015 Budget will be a bag full of election goodies, I can assure you that it will be a development oriented budget that is in line with the direction so set, with significant emphasis on the knowledge economy concept with which the country gained momentum."
Having ruled out ‘election goodies’, Dr. Jayasundera discussed a range of issues under the theme,‘Take off to a High Altitude: The Transformation of the Economic Landscape in Sri Lanka’
The Treasury Chief explained measures taken by the government to strengthen the national economy and consolidate the country’s standing in the international market.
UPFA constituents, the Communist Party of Sri Lanka, Lanka Samasamaja Party and Democratic Left Front have urged the SLFP not to go for an early presidential poll and instead take advantage of Budget 2015 and Budget 2016 to provide relief to those struggling to make ends meet and strengthen the national economy.
