Namal Rajapaksa — Interview with One World Media.
Sri Lanka is key in the Indian Ocean, holding the highest GDP per capita in South Asia and facing fierce competition on all fronts. In your experienced opinion, how do you see Sri Lanka’s social and economical structure evolving in the next five years?
Sri Lanka, along with the rest of the world, is going struggle due to the global covid 19 pandemic. Especially since this is the first time that our generation is facing a global crisis. We have experienced other crisis in the country the tsunamis and the terrorist organization on the Northern part of the country, but this is the first crisis of our generation that is truly international. I believe the way of approaching this situation is working together as a global community and understanding what we need to do next.
Sri Lanka has a lot of potential with infrastructure, we are developing our ports and airports and with the relaxation thanks to the vaccination we believe there is a big scope for tourism in the country. At the same time we are looking at developing entrepreneurship in a very rapid scale, especially for the domestic market and to prepare our companies to develop cross border transactions.
We believe that the next 5 years are going to be key for us and it is out chance for transformation. We are looking at developing the government and citizen services to visual platforms to achieve a more efficient public service allowing our citizens to get their formalities done faster.
The country is also opening up for more transshipment and we are putting our efforts in becoming the central wholistic hub in South Asia. The investments we have done, especially in the Hambanttota and Ratmalana airports as well as the Colombo and Hambattota ports, are directly oriented to achieve this goal.
We believe it is going to be tough to recover from the recent struggles, however if we work with the right partners and with the consistency of policies, in the next five years, we will be able to capitalize on these investments.
The United States of America has always represented a stable and helpful ally to Sri Lanka. What are the keys to the relationship between both countries? Which aspects of the Sri Lanka-USA cooperation affect your duties?
We have a long history with the US regarding politics and trading. It is paramount that we have a proper mutual understanding between both countries to ensure the cooperation and collaboration in our economic, social and political aspects, especially given our geographical location. From my Ministries in particular there are a lot of youth moving between the US and Sri Lanka so we have to promote the share of knowledge and to work together, especially with the private sector where, for example, several American IT companies are now outsourcing their work to Sri Lanka.
Port City Colombo is projected to be a technological hub in South Asia able to host entrepreneurial companies. What strategies can help the Government attract and retain such companies?
Our focus is on structuring the regulation and law framework, Port City has a well developed policies structure. The government is working closely with the Port City Economic Commission to improve accessibility and ease of doing business. It is essential that the new city’s operation is not isolated, all departments concerning the project must be interconnected. One of the most ambitious ideas of the Port City is to be a law lab that allows us to pave the way to the introduction and normalization of new forms of finances such as crypto currencies and other blockchain related industries.
One of our goals, from the government is to open up digital currencies and crypto currencies trade into the tourism sector. If we success at it I am sure a lot of virtual nomad tourists will come to Sri Lanka.
Crypto currency is a very controversial subject for a lot of people, but whether it is fortunate or unfortunate, the younger generation is moving towards it. We cannot deny the importance of this new finance systems and we have to sail with it and regulate it in a positive way now instead of correcting it later when the system is already in place. The Central Bank and the Finance Ministry have to regulate it before it reaches escapes the system regulatory control, even if it is just within the tourism sector to start with allowing foreign exchange to get into the country.
Concepts like Software development and Tech entrepreneurship are already closely attached to Sri Lanka. As State Minister for technology and entrepreneurship, what are your main goals in the digital revolution?
The key is to provide essential services. We are looking into a long-term campaign for citizen services to be transformed to virtual platforms. We are in a very advanced stage in the implementation of the new digital wallet that will include every citizen’s digital ID card, virtual passport and digital driving license, we are also looking at developing an E-document system for the government documents.
This will allow all citizens to manage online and in a very accessible way all official documents, transactions and formalities they might require.
We are also studying new visa formats to encourage virtual nomads and international start-ups to use Sri Lanka as a base country, encouraging the usage of blockchain technology in Sri Lanka. Education is key to the sector as well, we are trying to encourage youngsters to get involved with ICT sector to create a high volume of high-skilled employment in a very short period of time.
US most remarkable technical brands for high performance in sports like Nike or Speedo turn to Sri Lanka for design and development of the highest quality garments looking for sophistication. How can the Ministry of Sports support this industry?
It is very important that we have a proper understanding with the US as they have been very helpful to Sri Lanka with regards to most of our exports including the apparel sector.
We have a lot of athletes training in the US, including some of Sri Lanka’s best high jumpers, as well as both long and short distance runners. There is a lot of potential for both sides collaboration in the sporting area.
The US is also looking at promoting cricket, and most Sri Lankan’s ex-cricketers have been in the US for training and sporting camps. We can benefit enormously from US expertise and their technology, which is very advanced with regards to sport.
The younger generations of the world seem to be the most concerned about the climate change and some of the best ideas to improve the sustainability of our social structures are coming from that generation. What is the government’s roadmap to lead Sri Lanka into a more sustainable future?
We are looking at renewable energy sources for the whole country. Sri Lanka has a reliable wind source and a lot of sun that is being wasted. Instead of using these resources, we keep buying fossil fuels from other countries. Many changes need to put in place and this is paramount for our government.
By 2030 we intend to rely on renewable energy for the 70% of the nation’s consumption, which is very ambitious but I think it is achievable if we put the nation’s resources to it. In fact, there are already two big, globally reputed, companies studying the potential of investing in the renewable energy sector in Sri Lanka.
We have already approved a project between the Ministry of Energy and an international company to study the potential of introducing blue or green hydrogen in Sri Lanka.
The environmental laws are very clear and need to be used to balance the development of the country and the protection of our environment and wildlife. For example the government has taken a very ambitious decision of transferring the usage of fertilizers from chemical to natural in order to protect our environment.
We are also looking at changing certain policies in energy usage and water recycling for non-drinking purposes. Many of these policies are complicating, to a certain extent, the public operations for now, but will definitely help us transform the society for the future.
You are an example for the young generations of this country who look up to you as a role model. In your personal life, what are your goals and what are you most proud of?
I am very proud of my marriage and becoming a father, my child is growing so fast, I want to spend more time with him.
I think it all depends on my work and my country. We have been given a mandate as to what we should do for the next five years. Our first goal is to deliver what we have promised, and then we go for elections on time and let the people decide what is the next step. We have planned an agenda for the next ten years, in my personal opinion we should all work towards accomplishing it and make sure that we succeed.
I would also like to motivate and inspire younger generations to get more involved in the administration of the country and the companies and for them to set high sporting goals and pursue them.
We would like to transmit the power of your voice. What is your message for the USA Today readers across the world?
The readers of the US Today! should also get that positive message out and get people together to keep up with their personal goals.
We are going through a very tough global pandemic, for countries like ours it matters how the bigger economies react to certain situations and incidents and how they face this situation. We have to look forward and work together, especially the youngsters who are reading this should be talking about fighting for responsibility as well, I think this is a time where the youngsters have to step up and take responsibility and take up these challenges and move forward and fight along us for everyones future.
