26th November, 2019
Local media on Tuesday reported that Sri Lanka’s government pledged to address major challenges in the country to attract foreign direct investments.
Prasanna Ranatunga, the newly appointed Minister of Industrial Export, Investment Promotion, Tourism and Civil Aviation disclosed this while briefing Journalists on commencement of duty.
Ranatunga said he was confident of reviving all sectors under his portfolio, which suffered in the aftermath of the April 21 terrorist attacks on churches and hotels.
“The tourism industry had the biggest drawback post-Easter Sunday terror attack and we haven’t still been able to recover properly.
“The foreign investors also lost confidence in the economy and our FDIs hit a major stumbling block.
“However, soon after the 30-year-old civil war, we turned around the tourism and investment sectors and we are confident of reviving it once again.’’
Ranatunga is one of 15 ministers who have been appointed to a pared-down interim cabinet ahead of a parliamentary election which is expected to take place next year.
Ranatunga is a member of the Sri Lanka Podujana Permuna whose candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa won the presidential elections on Nov. 16.