Jakarta –
President Sri Lanka Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed tycoon Dhammika Perera as Investment Minister on Friday (24/6). The crisis-hit country is struggling to get foreign exchange to import food, fuel oil (BBM) and medicine.
Dhammika Perera is a major Sri Lankan investor holding stakes in dozens of companies. He replaces Rajapaksa’s brother who resigned earlier this month.
“Dhammika Perera is a very successful businessman and he has put out several proposals on how Sri Lanka can get out of this crisis,” said Podujana Peramuna party secretary-general Sagara Kariyawasam quoted by Reuters on Sunday (26/6/2022).
Dhammika Perera is one of Sri Lanka’s richest entrepreneurs with investments in companies spanning manufacturing, banking and finance, recreation, plantations and power generation.
Sri Lanka is in the midst of its worst financial crisis since independence in 1948. Foreign reserves have fallen to record lows, unable to pay for essential imports and sparked protests from citizens for months.
Sri Lanka aims to attract investment of US$ 1 billion or equivalent to Rp. 14.8 trillion (exchange rate of Rp. 14,800) despite the crisis. The South Asian country has a lucrative pipeline of projects, especially in renewable energy.
Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Investment will oversee several key government agencies including the Sri Lankan investment board and IT industry regulator, both of which were previously under the president.
(aid/dna)
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