Sri Lanka to be one of the best connected in Indian Ocean

Colombo, Sept 6 (newsin.asia) – Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, on Wednesday said the island country would soon be well connected in the region with the development of its ports, airports and roads.

Speaking at the inauguration of the SAARC Trade Fair and Investment Forum in Colombo, Wickremesinghe said that while Sri Lanka had fought a 30 year civil war, it was time it caught up with emerging markets in South Asia and became a hub in the Indian Ocean.

“Sri Lanka is committed towards its development and ensuring a strong connectivity within the island and also in the Indian Ocean,” Wickremesinghe said.

“We have a plan. It is a question of how fast we move. It depends on the investments we get. We are confident of getting the investments,” the Prime Minister added.

Explaining Sri Lanka’s ambitious plan on implementing a strong connectivity, Wickremesinghe said his government was looking at developing the Colombo Fort further, developing the Hambantota and Trincomalee Ports and further developing its Bandaranaike and Mattala International Airports.

“So we have 3 ports and 2 international airports. We already have the Bandaranaike International Airport and we hope to make operational the Mattala International airport by the end of the year or early next year,” the Prime Minister said.

He further said the island was also in the process of completing its expressways which would connect the south, Central Hills and the airport in Katunayake to the capital.

“Our connectivity has been the southern expressway which will connect Hambantota with Colombo. The Outer Circular Road which will take you around and the Central Expressway which will take you up to Kandy and the Katunayaka expressway which will bring you into Colombo. So immediately there is going to be connectivity between Hambantota, Colombo, Kandy and the airport. This we can assure.”

He said the country was also in the process of upgrading its telecommunication facilities including strengthening its wi-fi system so it could reach the rural areas.

Plans are also afoot to develop Colombo as one of the best cities in the Indian Ocean.

“We will make it the largest city in the middle of the Indian Ocean. With that there is also the Port City which will convert into an offshore financial center. We are not trying to compete with London or Dubai. We will build it up gradually. Start small and eventually go up.”

The Sri Lanka Prime Minister further requested all South Asian governments to implement a plan which would offer ease in doing business in the region as this was vital for South Asia to unleash its full potential.

To unleash South Asia we have to first unleash the businesses. If we allow the full potential, South Asia will be the fastest growing region in the world. It is not so now.”

“Connectivity is very important and you cannot have connectivity without the ease of doing business. Then airports and ports should also be developed and well connected. Chambers now have to focus on a common ease of doing business criteria in our country. We in Sri Lanka have already embarked on this plan.”

“To do all this work together, this is why the two main political parties in the country teamed up and formed a national government. A national government is unheard of in South Asia. Whatever politics we do, it will not affect the economic development of Sri Lanka.”

This year’s SAARC Investment Forum aims to nurture greater economic and social cooperation within the SAARC region.

Themed ‘Unleashing South Asia’, the investment forum has drawn over 250 investors, both local and international, including entrepreneurs, fund managers, CEOs and other senior corporate representatives.