Pictures by Thilak Perera and Chinthaka Kumarasinghe

Netherlands Ambassador in Sri Lanka Joanne Doornewaard, Min- ister Mangala Samaraweera, and UN Resident Coordinator and Higher Education and Highways Minister Lakshman Kiriella, Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, Prime Minister UNDP Resident Representative in Sri Lanka Una McCauley. Ranil Wickremesinghe and Finance and Mass Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Finance and Mass Media Min- Minister Mangala Samaraweera and Mano ister Mangala Samaraweera. Tittewella. Opposition Leader hails Budget 2018 SANDASEN MARASINGHE, CAMELIA the chamber after listening to two and solid foundation to the country’s cars and the incentives given to young NATHANIEL and DISNA MUDALIGE half hours long Budget speech, economy. He added that the Budget entrepreneurs. expressed mixed feelings over the that encompasses the proposals two Policy Planning and Economic pposition Leader R. Sampan- budgetary proposals for next year. major parties gives a hope for a bet- Development Deputy Minister Dr. Har- Speaker Karu Jayasuriya and Netherlands Ambassador Joanne O than commended the Budget Many Parliamentarians, however, ter future. sha de Silva said the Budget 2018 Doornewaard. stating that it included propos- praised the move to reduce the prices UPFA General Secretary and Fisher- would drive the country towards a als beneficial to all people including of hybrid and electric vehicles. ies and State Minister of Mahaweli knowledge based highly competitive the Tamils, while TNA MP Sumanthi- Leader of the House and Minister of Development Minister Mahinda social market economy. ran speaking on the same line said Higher Education and Highways Lak- Amaraweera speaking on the same Chief Opposition Whip Anura Dis- their proposals too have been accom- shman Kiriella congratulated Minister page with Duminda Dissanayake said sanayake objected to the Budget on the modated in the Budget. They stressed Samaraweera for presenting a progres- the Budget has also proposed a host of grounds that it follows the principles of the need to implement the budgetary sive and well-planned Budget despite relief measures and concessions to the open economy that have been proven proposals in full. the country being riddled with a mas- needy sectors. He highlighted the spe- unsuccessful. He said the Government The maiden Budget speech of sive debt burden. cial measures taken by the Govern- would further burden the already debt- Finance and Mass Media Minister Chief Government Whip and Lands ment to bring down the Cost of Living ridden economy with more loans. Mangala Samaraweera was commend- and Parliamentary Reforms Minister of the people. Former President Mahinda Raja- ed by many Parliamentarians in the Gayantha Karunathilake was confident Regional Development Minister paksa termed the Budget as useless Government benches as encouraging that the maiden Budget of Minister Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka said the stating that most of the budgetary and forward looking, while the Joint Samaraweera would usher in a good Budget that concentrates on Green proposals of the previous year are also Opposition and JVP members hardly future to the country. Economy has taken special interest on yet to be implemented. “These propos- had any positive comments to make to SLFP General Secretary and Min- conserving the environment and pre- als look good for the paper, but they the media on the Budget 2018. ister of Agriculture Duminda Dissan- venting environmental pollution. He are hardly implemented in reality,” he The Parliamentarians when they left ayake said the Budget would lay a commended the tax reduction of small commented. Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera, Minister Sarath Amunuga- ma and Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Shri Taranjit Singh Sandhu. State Minister for State Enterprise Development Pictures by Thilak Perera and Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena and MP Manusha Minister Mangala Samaraweera and Former Southern Province Chief Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera, UN Resident Coordinator Nanayakkara. Chinthaka Kumarasinghe Minister H.G. Sirisena. and UNDP Resident Representative in Sri Lanka Una McCauley and State Minister A.H.M. Fowzie. State Minister of Lands T. B. Ekanayake with UPFA Parlia- State Minister Lakshman Senewiratne. MPs Dinesh Gunawardena and Bandula Gunawardena. mentarian Kumara Welgama. Minister Mangala Samaraweera with MP Bandula Gunawardena..

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