By Yohan Perera

President Ranil Wickremesinghe had informed a visiting delegation of  Sri Lankan Diaspora members  in Canada to come and invest in the North.

The President had made this request when the Diaspora members who had met him on Thursday.
Delegation member Kula Sellathurai told a media delegation that the President wanted them to come and invest in the North. “We were told by the President to come and invest in Sri Lanka and we will do our best for the country,” he said.

“We have come here to help Sri Lanka to build up the nation and we wanted to visit this nation and see for ourselves what it is like and see what we can do to help. “ We think of ourselves as Sri Lankans. We also want others in the Diaspora to come and help their nation,” he said.

He said the delegation is keen to work with the locals as well. Asked about the areas in which the delegation hopes to invest, they said they have to study and see where they can focus on.

State Minister of Foreign Affairs Taraka Balasuriya said the visit of Sri Lanka Diaspora members to Sri Lanka is a huge step in bringing reconciliation and investments to Sri Lanka.  “The visit of the Diaspora members will help build up Sri Lanka’s image, especially among the Diaspora members,” the State Minister said.

The visiting delegation has also met Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana and are to meet BOI officials as well during their stay.