PM says 2025 spells economic normalcy

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Thursday insisted that Sri Lanka’s growth strategy was expected to pull through by 2025 with the latest shipbuilding contract, first ever from Japan, and this is a clear indication of economic confidence by investors.
Addressing an event held to mark the keel laying ceremony (the start of the shipbuilding process) of the first ever vessel to be built for Japan by the Colombo Dockyard PLC, Mr. Wickremesinghe said that this contract clearly highlights “the confidence in Sri Lanka and the CDL is responsible for a part of it”.
The Premier noted that once the years 2018 and 2019 are through the country should be able to return to economic normalcy by 2025.
The CDL has bagged its first ever contract from a Japanese company, Kokusai Cable Ship Co. Ltd. (KCS) to construct its’ first-ever cable laying vessel and the biggest-ever vessel contract-wise, costing US$53 million and longest-ever at a length of 111.3 metres.
He noted that the country’s growth strength is achieved through contracts such as these and envisioned plans to establish ports similar to the Port of Singapore and believed the developments of the ports and airports in Sri Lanka would rightly align itself as it is positioned to achieve a hub status. (Sunimalee)