Financial Times

Ravi works out damage control measures to woo investors
With a number of appointments fixed for discussion by the Commerce Department officials either being cancelled or put on hold pending a settlement to the current political situation in the country, Commerce Minister Ravi Karunanayake has ordered his officials to draw up a contingency plan to build investor confidence once more.

Describing the present economic situation as being "back to square one" - in reference to what the country faced exactly two years ago, Minister Karunanayake said that it's going to be an uphill task and that the government should not give up.
"The cookie has crumbled and to put the pieces together back again would be a very sensitive exercise," he said according to a statement issued by his office.

The minister met senior Commerce Department officials and strategists on Wednesday where he outlined the present status quo with regard to the political deadlock. He said the government would demand full control of the affairs of the country or else "we will have to retire to our fate and perish."

Already many doubts have been raised with regard to the on-going discussions on FTA’s with countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, the United States, Vietnam, Maldives and Egypt following last week's action by the President.

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