We Choose Action. Resilience Is Our Roadmap - President

COLOMBO (News 1st); President Anura Kumara Dissanayake reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s unwavering commitment to its long-term development plan despite the devastating impact of Cyclone Ditwah.

Speaking on the nation’s recovery strategy, the President emphasized that the crisis will not derail the country’s vision for transformation.

“When this crisis struck, Sri Lanka was already on a path of recovery—steadily rebuilding its economy step by step after one of the worst economic downturns in our history,” he said.

“We were entering a transformative era when this disaster hit. Many expected it to throw our carefully prepared blueprint into disarray. Believe me, it did not.”

The President underscored that the roadmap is not a temporary fix but a sustainable, future-focused project, and vowed not to abandon or reverse it under any circumstances.

“History shows how crises have often been used as excuses—wars, pandemics, disasters—all turned into shields for inefficiency. For 30 years, war was blamed for every failure. Later, pandemics became the cover for inaction. We refuse to follow that path.”

Even as the cyclone unfolded, Parliament was debating the national budget. While many urged the government to suspend it or rewrite it entirely, the President stood firm: “Our budget is not a reactionary document—it is a vision-driven plan to move our economy and our people forward.”

To address urgent recovery needs without compromising the integrity of the plan, the government introduced a supplementary estimate of Rs. 500 billion, dedicated to rebuilding efforts. “This is not a diversion. It is a reinforcement of our long-term vision,” he stressed.

Acknowledging the economic shock caused by the disaster, the President said: “Progress is never smooth. Societies evolve through shocks, not by drifting along. These disruptions shape nations. We had two choices: dwell in regret or rise with resilience. As a government, we chose the second path—to fight back and build a better country than before.”