19 March, 2024

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Vipathmaga’s ‘Blue Print’ To Build Castles In The Air: Mangala Samaraweera

“Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s so-called ‘Economic Blue Print’ is anything but a plan,” says Mangala Samaraweera, the Minister Of Finance.

Mangala Samaraweera

Issuing a statement today Samaraweera said: “The 82 slides, released on Sunday, pump aspiration and dump implementation. A blue print is supposed to be a roadmap for how to achieve an objective. The slide-deck dreams many dreams. But there is precious little that can be actioned. It is, at best, a blue print for building castles in the air; at worst, a blue print for disaster.

“More worryingly, it has taken the sensible strategy of Vision 2025 and fused it with toxic Rajapaksa kleptocracy. In reality, the ‘blue print’ sets Sri Lanka on a Vipath Maga – a road to sorrow – returning to the era of debt-fueled crony capitalism. The fact that one of the sessions was chaired by a person arrested for financial fraud and indicted by the Attorney-General demonstrates the calibre of advisors preparing these documents.

“As such, the only surprise for me was seeing captains of industry listening avidly to Gotabaya’s speech. For it was only a few years ago that, in hushed whispers and fitfully looking over their shoulders, many complained discreetly about having to cut deals and grease one of four gilded palms at 5 star to get anything done. Perhaps they think that attending such an event is an act of ‘strategic promiscuity’ – buying insurance should the worst occur.

“But that insurance is no safety net. The sugar high of the post-war years cannot return. The previous regime borrowed so much during their tenure that Sri Lanka’s credit card is maxed out. Any attempt to load further debt, or to destabilize the economy, will mean that financial markets will withdraw credit and increase interest rates. But that does not worry the organizers of Vipath Maga. Their economic plan is simple: a return to the dictatorial kleptocracy of the ancien régime. 

“In fact, the Vipath Maga presentation shows that no lessons have been learnt from the mistakes of the past. There is no reassurance there won’t be even more Hambantota Ports and Airports, Lotus Towers and Cricket Stadia. Not to mention pumping and dumping the stock-market, artificially over-valuing the rupee (in the process destroying export competitiveness) and making a profitable airline loss-making because the CEO did his job.”

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  • 19
    4

    Mangala Samaraweera

    Forget the clan and its greed driven future plans for the moment.
    You promised to recover $18 billion from the clan.
    How much have you recovered?

    In the meantime could you also send in the investigators to probe all MP’s and state functionaries if there was/is any discrepancies between their income and their disproportionate assets, including their benami assets.

    I understand Mahinda’s some assets in the UK are being held by his classmates.

    • 22
      11

      Pot calling the kettle black!
      The financially illiterate finance Minister who sucks up to Washington Consensus and dances wildly to the IMF tunes who was happily crashing the Sri Lanka rupee, rather than defend it as any finance Minister should is critiquing US citizen Goon Gota’s economic plans which actually are very sensible.
      Goat has highlighted the need for Sri Lankan business to re-orient Sri Lankan export towards Asian markets as Asia is the growth center of the world, and forget about Western EU and US which try to control terms of trade with GSP and fake trade concessions and keep the island under -developed while EU is looting Lanka’s fisheries and ocean resources.
      GSP plus is part of the colonial project to control the terms of trade and keep Sri Lanka dependent on EU and US markets and control Sri Lankan economy.

      • 11
        7

        Kalupahana,

        “who was happily crashing the Sri Lanka rupee, rather than defend it as any finance Minister should”

        You seem to be a hot shot “economist” …… can you please tell us why, not just the SL rupee, but the Indian rupee, Aus$, Canadian$ and many other “emerging economies’ ” currencies were “crashing?”

        Did the US Fed putting up their interest rates and winding down QE to the tune of 50 billion a month had nothing to do with it?


        I do not support any politician or political party …… I think all Lankans are imbeciles because they “think” with/through their emotions …… discarding rational thought.


        Another hot-shot “economist” said that Hitler had zero inflation and unemployment ………. implied Gota also can do it in Lanka! :))

        For Pete’s sake man, can we even try to compare 2019’s Lanka to 1930 – 1940’s Germany? …… Look at the bloody intellectual fire-power they had created/produced as a people …… Kant, Einstein, Hegel, Marx, Beethoven, (feel free to add your own!) …… and compare that to our own 2019’s intellectual fire-power, Mahinda, Gota, Ranil, Sajith, Godahewa ……… (Man, I’m rolling on the floor laughing!)

        And the industry they had! ….. Have you ever seen a Mercedes Benz of that era; how well they were made? In pure automotive engineering (i.e. sans modern electronics) terms, some of them are even better than their own current models!

        It’s one thing to have “book knowledge” to know Hitler had zero inflation/unemployment ………. but have to be brain-dead to think what Hitler did can be applied in Lanka!

        • 12
          4

          Continued

          Nigeria also copied/adopted the US constitution word for word thinking that’s all what they needed to be like America! :))))

          I don’t care for Gota, Ranil, Mahinda, Sajith ……. to put simply, they are all unashamed crooks who can’t find alternate employment …….. and in spite of whoever comes to power Lanka is headed only one way ……. and that’s down.

          I’m volunteering my free time Just out of the kindness of my heart …… to uplift Lankans’ level of intelligence to drag them into the post-gullible age ……….. well, kicking and screaming ……….

          A Mother Theresa ……. or a Lone Ranger ….. if you will ……….

          Take ye pick.

      • 9
        3

        Kaupahana, good points. Sri Lanka should focus more on net exports than cheap imports, as this is more sustainable in the long-run. With the US putting sanctions on China, China is an ideal venue. For example, Sri Lankan farmers could start exporting pork (in high demand) to China. The only model the IMF follows is austerity, look at Greece to see the full impact.

    • 19
      5

      Dear Native,

      Have you changed your medication ?.

      I don’t know about Mahinda’s Assets.
      But my elders tell me Eight Yaahapalana Ministers haven’t declared their assets.

      And guess what?.
      Keselwatta Kid is one of them ,
      And the the others are also pretty impressive characters in Yahapalanaya .
      Galleon, Ravi, Akila Viraj, Gyantha Karunathilleke, Harin Fernanado,and a whole host of others who are the cream of the crop of the UNP hierarchy.

      I didn’t see any Rajapaksa there mate…
      Do you reckon this Transparency Mob who are going to prosecute those UNP heavy Hitters ,have joined the SLPP.?.

      • 11
        6

        KASmaalam K.A.Sumanasekera

        A few weeks ago you behaved as if you were the campaign manager, chief election strategist, and the official Childminder to Sajith. Why are you attempting to snitch him now? Remember you also have had kind words for Navin Nayakka.

        By the way what is happening to your Colonial Master’s mother of all Parliaments?
        It seems Boring Boorish Boris (big bull s****er) has prorogued the parliament for 5 weeks. What is going to happened to sun, moon, and earth?
        So this island must be proud of being the one which taught UK the trick of prorogation. Aren’t you proud of being born in the land of the crooks?

    • 15
      0

      Mangala:
      What’s the point talking cock now. If you guys wanted … you could’ve thrown the fellow in jail. Instead, you were attending Rajapakse clan’s family functions. What happened? Why didn’t you do at least 10% of what you promised the people in Jan 2015 with regard to bringing this Mafia family to book. If Sira was the obstacle, you should’ve exposed him and/or resigned from your cabinet positions. With what face are you coming before the voters once again raising the issue of Rajapaksa kleptocracy? Don’t you think you’re insulting the intelligence of the long suffering people of this country? If you’re a politician in a developed democracy you’d have been thrown into the dumpster a long time ago.

  • 16
    7

    Why issue a statement about it if its to bad ??!!?

    Mangala triggered!!!?

    Anyway, it seems thst the cream of business society who were instrumental in drawing up the plan and who graced Viyathmaga thinks otherwise!

    Please go back to smoking whatever you smoke daily Mangy..

  • 10
    5

    well said mangala
    why does boss ranil have to say or is he still licking gotas bum to safeguard his future

  • 10
    3

    Sure, Sure Mr Mangala….

    How can Viyath maga’s Blue Prints can beat you and your mate Dr Ranil’s Green Prints,
    VW Factories for Dalits to assemble Folks Wagons.
    Mitchelline Tyres even for Tuk Tuks
    Free Wifi
    Gold braceltets
    AT least 3 Gym Kits for each Village..
    1.5 Million LKR Loans without any collateral.
    120,000 Acres to MCC.

    Your new mate Keselwatta kid has now out bid the Bosse;s Prints in leaps and bounds.
    LKR 50,000 Minimum wage to all women
    Free Houses for all men and women

    Mr Managal need not spend his valuable time time to dissect Nandasena’s Economic Blue Plans.
    Your mate Keselwatta Kd will Shit it in at the Election, with those two Green Prints.

    BTW , Have they selected their Official Candidate yet?

  • 6
    1

    Better than 1000 Dagebos on ground.

    Soma

    • 4
      5

      soman

      “Better than 1000 Dagebos on ground.”

      There is going to be 1125 new Vihares in the North Yeast.
      At the same time tens of hundreds of Vihares have been shut down in the past few months for various reasons.

      You should become one of the Viharathipathies or take franchise of a few Vihares, modernise them, introduce theme parks, astrology consultancy, marriage counselling, tax planning (cooking the books), legal services (using Sinhala/Buddhist Fascist network), rest and recreation facilities for saffron clad thugs, supply of land grabbing saffronistas, Havala (money laundering service), rent a mob of monks, a sanctuary for war criminals, fugitive policemen, diplomats, ………………………
      In other word one stop shop for criminal activities and activists.

  • 10
    4

    Being a Sinhala Buddhist and being in the right place at the right time can bring fame and fortune and to hell with “ape rata”, The country is mortgaged or sold to many stakeholders and we Sri Lankans will soon be expatriates in our dear old land. The Sinhalese Buddhist who have ruled this country since independence in 1948 have miserably failed the people and country of their birth; This is similar to selling one’s own mother.
    The main reason being the Sinhala Buddist slogan under which is boldly written RACISM. No nation can develop with this slogan and it will turn everyone into a corrupt person without any feeling of patriotism to the country or love to thy neighbour. As a matter fact this is exactly what this blessed country is turning into.
    Those who know how to govern are unable to do so because they belong to the non Buddist sector.
    The presidential elections are around the corner and we damn well know that we shall be voting once again to the same corrupt politicians who have been around the corridors of power for a while. They and their family and those surrounding them are all doing very well except the voter who put them there. I have built up my life on my own effort and thanks to foreign employment but can the same be said to hundreds of thousands out their. This is because of the people in power, once they get their seat,
    have no recollection how they got there.
    The Government employs over 3 million in various levels and out of which ninety percent are Sinhalese and over seventy percent are Sinhala Buddhists and these are devout Buddhist who would discriminate against non-Sinhalese.

    • 1
      1

      My question about GoRa’s so-called “vision” is not about the vision itself. I’ll gurantee that the progressive economic plan [item number (c) of Kumar Devid’s list of four major items] of NPPM election manifesto (must be compared with 1848 Communist Manifesto) will say the same with slightly differnt set of words. Rather, it is about how the politcal plan goint to differ from the brutal White Van System GoRa employed when he had poewer.

      That is b’cos the “Odius Spectre” for any winning party is the huge budget deficit that will be standing on its way to keep election promises. The key issue going to be the ability to maintain a continuous credt line. This certainly will be a serious challenge for both GoRa & NPPM b’cos both of them face the issue of trust in the inernational community at least for a short term. In such a possible serious creit crunch, will they be able to keep the post 2015 democratic gains in as it is while implementing austerity measurs that will inevitably be forced by the budget?

      As the old saying: “When poverty nocks the front door, love runs away from the back door”, financial hardships will increase the probability for returning of White Van Culture. If it is GoRa, then better watch out for “Bipolar Syndrome” as well!

  • 8
    2

    Gota has highlighted the need for Sri Lankan business to re-orient Sri Lankan export towards Asian markets as Asia is the growth center of the world, … This is the view of the S’pore PM as well on the Belt & Road initiative in his opening address to the ASEAN.

    To say the least, someone has a blue print………..

    • 6
      4

      Thondamany

      “Gota has highlighted the need for Sri Lankan business to re-orient Sri Lankan export towards Asian markets as Asia is the growth center of the world”

      Good idea.
      And hand over total control of Industry/Export/Import/Licensing/Economy/Pricing policy/resource allocation … to his crooked brother Basil who was trained under the tutelage of Dutta Gamani.

      Fascist states not only need to control production, allocation of resources, …. who gets what, …………… fascists also need to employ thought police.

  • 6
    6

    Building castles in the air?
    the clan have enough money to build castles on the moon

  • 2
    2

    A comment. Viath maga invitation had a dress code. Lounge or national. Not for Sanga Veda Guru Govi Kamkaru .Derailed. First few rows had corporates balance ’40 thieves’. Can one win by addresssing one percent of the population.

  • 8
    0

    Mr Samaraweera would have more credibility if he and the government he was part of, had taken the opportunity to recover the money that was salted away by his predecessors, and from many from his own side.

    What the hell, in politics, especially our politics, it always is easier to snipe at the opposition.

    As for Gota – let us be generous and declare his ‘future dreams’ as a lot of ‘pie in the sky’ and the usual promise of ‘jam tomorrow’. Still, right now, Gota is probably the best of a bad lot. Frightening thought!

  • 10
    4

    Has anyone in this forum watched the presentation made by Gota at the Viyathmaga annual convention? It is an excellent presentation both in Sinhala and English and I recommend to view it before commenting on this forum. I don’t think there is a single politician who can present it in the manner it was presented by Gota! The contents were excellent and the plan has to be commended looking at it positively. Its time that someone who intends to contest the presidential election present a counter proposal that is better than the one presented by Gota without making promises to the masses that cannot be materialized!

    • 9
      2

      Ruwan,
      These ‘Koti Diaspora’ guys and anti Rajapakse NGO guys who write comments in this forum are not interested in the contents of Gotabhaya’s speech. That was a speech of a Presidential Candidate unlike Sajith’s speeches where he talks about constructing Chaityas, giving shoes and bags to students, going to each and every ‘Ranaviruwo’ to look after them, building ‘Daham Pasalas’ etc. People do not need a President to do this kind of things.

      If these guys who write anti-Rajapakse comments get some mental satisfaction by doing that, so be it. These comments in CT have no impact at all on ordinary people. Now even the Colombo Toiyas do not believe what these guys say. These guys are just wasting their time.

  • 9
    2

    Mangala, if GR could keep Colombo clean why couldn’t you?

    • 2
      7

      Bawa ,

      Keeping cities clean is the business of Local Councils . Why should
      the Central Govt puts its nose in there ? It is a valid question you
      should ask yourself ! Who created Meethotumulla mountain to create
      a clean city ? One of the Man made wonders ! Who used force to evict
      poor residents for land grabbing in parts of Colombo ? Beauty at such
      a cost ? The beauty of the whole issue should be that the Rajapakshas
      have to realise there are many able leaders to run Srilanka . They better
      stop thinking that Srilankans have no life without them ! And they
      were running the show J R J directed and edited ! They breathed in new
      lease of life to Racism , maybe their top most achievement .

      • 4
        0

        Whywhy,

        ‘Keeping cities clean is the business of Local Councils . Why should
        the Central Govt puts its nose in there ? It is a valid question you
        should ask yourself ! ‘

        Have you ever known a Local Council to act independently and contrary to the wishes of the Central Government for the good of the people? I haven’t.

        Ultimate power lies with the Central Government. If they wanted to, they could do many things for the well being of the people but they just can’t be bothered. Too busy making money and getting top jobs for geriatric friends.

        • 1
          1

          Bawa ,

          I do understand your approach and there are thousands out there
          who can go with your way of thinking . But you need to dig deep
          to see my view clearly . You admit in your reply that local councils
          don’t act independently . Our thinking has to be , in my view which
          is based on the system we believe in , Local Councils must be free
          to do their job within the power they are entrusted to by the system
          itself ! Announcing of Gota’s candidacy itself is opening up of
          Pandara’s box ! He’s facing financial fraud charges in Court , right or
          wrong , guilty or not ! And , there’s public talk that four Rajapakshas
          had run the whole previous Govt ! Yes , this way you can do
          WONDERS with puppets around you by creating more than hundred
          ministers to sign what is dictated to them ? If SUPERFICIAL
          development is slow now , that means the country’s real economic
          conditions are not fit enough for sky high false hopes ! There’s no
          point in ‘borrowing from Peter to pay Paul economy’ to please garish
          onlookers by taxing the majority skeleton population !

  • 3
    6

    Bawa; why do you want only Colombo to be Clean? Don’t you go out of Colombo?

    • 8
      0

      I want the whole country to be clean. My point was that any party or politician could do what GR did. They just don’t have the political will. They are idle power hungry ba*****s.

  • 1
    1

    People don’t vote for ‘ blue or green print ‘. The majority , 99% vote for the
    party , religion , race , caste and class ! Whatever argument is put forward
    about the economy , majority voters are voting for personal benefit and
    party loyalty ! Change in the pattern happens with the minority deciding
    en mass in their choice partnered with traditional floating votes ! Again ,
    more than 90 % of these votes are not in any national interest ! This is the
    ground reality that is obstructing any true development that has to
    address core issues . Let;s take a look at one example of ground reality in
    London about public commuting . More and more cyclists are seen on the
    roads and to encourage them , more cycle lanes are introduced with the
    space carved out of existing roads and walk ways ! What are we doing over
    here ? We feel low here to touch a cycle , sell off a piece of land inherited
    from parents , go for a car and jam the roads expecting the economy to
    provide resources to widen or build new roads ! So , now we build new roads
    high ways , express ways and flyovers and the majority of people see this
    as the development of the country ! Most of these guys are slackers living
    out on other people’s money or goldbricking ! This man Gota believes in
    false development to attract fools’ attention so that ha will stand out of the
    rest . After all , it is not his money . He’s dreaming to retire in Col 7 at state
    expense ! .

  • 4
    2

    Hmm… Captains of Industry became Captains of Industry because they are so stupid? By every measure of economic indicators country has gone backwards comparing 2019 to 2014. Can’t provide a stable environment for economic growth and business to prosper and can’t even pick up trash . But vote for me again because the the guy who had accomplished something in the past is presenting his vision and plans in front of the public? Where the heck are yours and what were you doing past 4.5 years?

    • 3
      1

      Lak DeSilva, I am not going to question your judgement, but I have a few questions.
      .
      1) What is economic growth.
      2) When did you last see economic growth in our country.
      3) Which accomplishment of your ‘guy’ pleased you most.
      4) If you are the visionary, what would your first priority for our people be.
      .
      Your response would help me immensely. Thank you.

      • 3
        1

        Thappu my dear fellow, most pleased to respond to you.

        1) Robust growth in GDP, per capita income, Exports, Imports , Balance of Payments, Gross External Assets, External Debt, Exchange Rates etc.
        2) Last observed robust growth was in 2014
        3) Ending the 30+ year war & running the megalopolis of Colombo efficiently
        4) Bring stability and a positive future vision back

        You are most welcome old boy!

        • 1
          1

          Lak DeSilva, Don’t worry. I’ll ignore that many perished when that dump heap collapsed on them. I’ll never forget that India is yet to thank Gota for the favour he did to them, removing the devil that took away the dear life of their Rajiv. How would I forget that Ranil lied when he blamed SLFP for an empty chest, despite having inherited the best of coffers!

          • 2
            0

            Thappu my dear fellow, don’t forget main blueprint of Mangala’s ‘guy’ is to promise a chicken in every pot, nothing more!

  • 6
    2

    The Pundits who pretend to be great lovers of country and other racists who hate Sinhalese, I tell you better spend some of your $ to poor people of the country no matter Sinhala, Tamil or Muslim. Just you guys waste time in vain but not do any constructive support for the country.
    Shame on you guys.
    People of the country will decide who should be their Leader. You do your bit constructively.

  • 5
    0

    Mr. Samaraweera , don’t play the old tune, you all were given a chance to clear the mess but you failed miserably and let down a whole nation. Now don’t talk of Rathupaswala , white van and the media. Anyway the UNP is not fit to govern this country let alone Vipath- mega(The road to perdition).

  • 9
    2

    Dear Sir. We staff at SriLankan Airlines has seen your cohort, tilan w and nyras, johanne w, arjuna de silva, ranjit f, vipoola g, fakectodag, commander, lawyer downunder, anotherpilottryingtoCOO, in action. They have nose dove and diving everyday this airline with lies and fakenews. Show the savings? Where are the profits? Why did you need a foreigner as head of commercial?
    We all think viyathmaga is better than the current show of crooks and fraudsters. Elections cannot come soon enough.

  • 2
    1

    While building some castles in the air he want to build lot of them in Hambantota district as well. Why not when his big brother was capable of building a lot of “WHITE ELEPHANTS”when he was the big boss. Surely he may want to be better in that capability! Since he has not come out with a composite, single sentenced vision statement, he will have many many visions in respect of all the problems we have in this country. So it is expected to see many many castles in the air as well as many more “white elephants'” throughout the country!

    He will then sing and dance about development achievements!

    Aiy aiyo Sri Lanka!

    Would she be blessed and protected by the mighty Gods!

  • 0
    2

    Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera is generous in referring to GR’s Vipathmaga as a ‘Blue Print’ plan {“To Build Castles In The Air”}.
    It is a clumsy person building Sand Castles, for his grandchildren, somewhere in Tangalle(?) beach. He flies, on his dual citizen passport, to his real real home, in US, to tell his foreign son what he did. The tide comes and washes the Sand Castle.
    GR returns and starts on another Sand Castle!
    .
    One day GR will find out that it was not the tide but it was Bodu Bala Sena!

    • 0
      2

      This combo of Sajith President Mangala Prime Minister and SarathFonseka Law and order will bring Srilanka out of the mess the crooks before and after have done .
      They will come under severe attack from Rajapaksas Sirisenas and the racists but these 3 must show strength and save the country.

  • 0
    2

    This combo of Sajith President Mangala Prime Minister and SarathFonseka Law and order will bring Srilanka out of the mess the crooks before and after have done .
    They will come under severe attack from Rajapaksas Sirisenas and the racists but these 3 must show strength and save the country.

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