President meets private sector ahead of 2024 Budget

•  Focus on including private sector proposals in Budget to boost economy
•  PMD says private sector praises President’s program aimed at stabilising economy

Ahead of the 2024 Budget presentation, President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Wednesday met several private sector representatives and discussed the reform programs aimed at moving from crisis to recovery and sustainable growth.

During the meeting the private sector presented proposals to increase revenue and improve efficiency in the public sector, the President’s Media Division said. 

President Wickremesinghe announced his intention to prioritise the inclusion of proposals from the private sector in the 2024 Budget to be presented on 13 November and to separately examine related areas. 

During the meeting, the President discussed reform programs designed to help the country recover from the economic crisis it is currently facing and move towards sustainable growth.

Leaders of private sector institutions presented proposals to the President, focusing on increasing government revenue and efficiency, as well as measures to support various industries, including attracting investors, the tourism industry and the garment industry.

They also urged the President to prioritise measures aimed at overcoming the current economic crisis and addressing the challenges faced by business people in various sectors in this year’s budget.

President Wickremesinghe expressed his commitment to give careful consideration to the ideas and suggestions put forward by the leaders of private sector institutions. He intends to conduct separate discussions on each of these areas in the future.

The efforts made by the President to achieve economic stability in the country were commended by the leaders of private institutions.

The discussion was attended by Senior Advisor to the President on Economic Affairs Dr. R. H. S. Samaratunga, Presidential Adviser Chandra Shafter, Secretary to the Finance Ministry Mahinda Siriwardena, the proposed Sri Lanka Planning Board Chairman Dinesh Weerakkody who is also Chairman of BOI and Colombo Port City Economic Commission and leaders of various private sector organisations.

Among the private sector representatives were officials from the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, Joint Apparel Association Forum, SLASSCOM and industry leaders from the tourism sector and capital markets as well as existing foreign investors.