EDB, BOI, Sri Lanka Tourism, Airport and Aviation officials to formulate new plans for post-COVID-19 growth
Implementation after discussion with Govt.
Industrial Export, Investment Promotion, Tourism and Aviation Minister Prasanna Ranatunga has directed all heads of the departments under the Ministry to submit proposals and strategies to revive key sectors impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak.
“The key objective of this initiative is to re-activate these institutions with short and long term strategies to understand the current situation and iron out the issues pertaining to tourism, investment promotion, export development and aviation sectors,” the Minister told the Daily FT.
Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), Board of Investment (BOI), Export Development Board (EDB), Airport and Aviation Services (Lanka) Ltd., and SriLankan Airlines are some of the key institutions which comes under the purview of the Ministry.
Ranatunga has insisted the heads of institutions to submit the relevant proposals separately within a week, given the importance of the sectors to the economic revival. The directive has been issued through Industry, Export and Investment Promotion Ministry Secretary Mapa Pathirana and Tourism and Aviation Ministry Secretary Marina Mohammed.
“The tourism industry is one of the hardest-hit by the outbreak of COVID-19, while investment promotion, export development and SriLankan Airlines have been affected as well,” Ranatunga said.
The Minister said upon the submissions from relevant institutions, he plans to discuss the same with the Government and implement the proposals promptly.
The Ministry also plans to implement separate and joint programs for the quick revival of the industries whilst Ranatunga commended the initiatives launched by the Government to help the industries and enterprises. (CdeS)
(FT)