The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) has congratulated newly elected President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and pledged its commitment to collaborate with stakeholders on growth strategies. In a statement, the CCC highlighted 10 economic priorities for President Dissanayake to focus on in the first six months of his term:
- Finalize external debt restructuring and continue with the IMF program for the third review and fourth tranche disbursement.
- Implement expenditure changes backed by credible revenue plans without overburdening taxpayers. Reassess RAMIS and SVAT.
- Resolve the visa on arrival issue immediately.
- Implement Digital Public Infrastructure and a Digital ID system.
- Prioritize the National Single Window for Trade to benefit the economy and the public.
- Establish a National Implementation Oversight Committee to ensure reform delivery, as outlined in the CCC’s Vision 2030.
- Enforce key legislation related to the Economic Transformation Act, Public Debt Management, Public Financial Management, and the Sri Lanka Electricity Act.
- Avoid sudden gazettes and circulars that could disrupt the private sector; changes should be made in consultation with stakeholders.
- Implement the government action plan based on the IMF Governance Diagnostic Assessment.
- Restart trade negotiations with China, India, and Indonesia.
The CCC reaffirmed its support for transforming Sri Lanka into a developed economy and urged for peaceful acceptance of the election outcome. They also expressed gratitude to former President Ranil Wickremesinghe for his leadership during challenging times.