Sri Lanka can always look to China if US support is unavailable, says Defence Secretary
View(s):By Bandula Sirimanna
SL can rely on China - Gota (Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa pauses during a Colombo business event on Friday where he said Sri Lanka can always rely on China if the US is not prepared to help.Pic by Nilan Maligaspe)
Sri Lanka can always look for China’s assistance if the United States is not providing support, the country’s most powerful bureaucrat said when he delivered the key note address at the certificate presentation ceremony of the second batch of the Certificate Course in “Entrepreneurship Management” at Colombo Hilton on Friday.
The training course for 32 young entrepreneurs was organised by the National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka (NCCSL) in collaboration with the University of Colombo – Institute of Human Resource Advancement (IHRA-UOC)
Defence and Urban Development Ministry Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa told the gathering of NCCSL members, top businessmen, executives and young entrepreneurs that the country is under the microscope of powerful countries like the US because of its strategic geographic location.
He noted that the super powers are eying two things: oil and the strategic geographic location.
Mr. Rajapaksa said that he read a newspaper report today (Friday) which quoted US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Michele J. Sison as saying at a meeting of the Federation of Industries and Commerce in Matara, that the US is concerned on the impeachment process against the “former chief justice” .
In lighter vein, he added that the US Ambassador is always asking him when he met her in some functions as to why no action was taken against some soldiers for committing war crimes and he used to reply her that there was no such process.
He revealed that the US is now attempting to cut down scholarships given to officers for training giving various reasons. It has not given support to Sri Lanka in the war against terrorists as well.
“If that is the case we can always look for China to send our officers for training,” he added.
Emphasising the importance of enhancing skills through education, he said that US universities are fully committed to improve life skills of students paving the way towards improving their chosen field of livelihood such as agriculture industry, engineering, etc.
These universities conduct post graduate courses in such vocational fields he said adding that he is revealing these facts through experience gained while working at an American University for eight years.
He disclosed that the US has experienced an economic boom during President Bill Clinton’s tenure in high office and it was possible due to his economic policy of improving small and medium scale enterprises (SME’s).
He said that he had the opportunity of witnessing the development in US at that time.
Sri Lanka is also on its way towards improving SME’s through various incentives including tax concessions.
“We should strive to produce essential items rather than looking for it overseas, he said. Import substitution is the order of the day, and the country should be self-sufficient in every aspect not only in rice, vegetables, etc,” he added. In the past Sri Lanka used to import everything. Mr. Rajapaksa said that the Treasury Secretary once told him that Sri Lanka is even importing siyambla (Tamarind) from India. “Not only tamarind we are also importing ganja (cannabis) as well,” he said jokingly.
Sri Lanka should stop this practice and young entrepreneurs countrywide should learn modern management systems and put it to practice in order to develop rural areas in the country, he added.
The Defence Secretary explained that the country is now in a position to reap the benefits of the twin successes in war and the economy, mainly due to the growth-centric vision, and the able execution of the policies needed for its achievement.
He said “at this juncture we have an unparalleled opportunity to guide this nation to its rightful place in the world”.
“We must all work hard and work together to make sure that this unique opportunity is not wasted,” he added.
Asoka Hettigoda, President of National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka, told the gathering that it is essential to impart knowledge to the SME sector in the country on business and entrepreneurship management, in order to further improve their business ventures.
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