Ceylon Chamber fears govt.’s actions could damage country’s reputation

• Highlights they will result in far-reaching adverse consequences for key business sectors
• Says attention SL currently receives on intl. media can cause serious damage, especially for tourism
• Urges govt. to justify reasons for harsh moves taken over the weekend
• Requests responsible authorities to communicate clearly the current status of fuel and electricity availability 

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) yesterday shared its concerns and dissatisfaction over the ongoing situation in the country that adds to the distress of the already crippling economy.

The CCC said it is gravely concerned about the far-reaching adverse consequences of certain actions taken by the government on economic activity such as tourism, trade, exports, and e-commerce dependent on social media platforms while appreciating the need to maintain law and order and public security in the country.

“The adverse coverage Sri Lanka is getting on international media, particularly on the imposition of a state of emergency can cause serious damage at a time when the tourism sector is just beginning to stage a recovery,” the chamber said in a statement to the media.

The government imposed an island-wide curfew on Saturday (2 April). The curfew was imposed to prevent the visibly irked general public from voicing the hardships they are plunged into due to the mismanagement of the economy.

The general public and businesses were given a little more than two hours from the time of the announcement to wind up operations and activities before the curfew came into effect at 6.00 p.m.

Later that same evening, a social media ban was imposed which further aggravated the already inconvenient situation for the locals, tourists, and businesses.

The CCC stressed that the impact of these restrictions on the freedom of speech and other fundamental rights of the people can damage the reputation of Sri Lanka at a time when the nation is in dire need of the goodwill of the international community to recover from current economic challenges.

The chamber called upon the government to communicate on reasons that have led to the introduction of such harsh measures.

The CCC also requested the various authorities responsible for the availability of fuel, electricity, and gas to communicate clearly on the current status, 

which is of immediate concern to both businesses and the public at large, particularly if improvement can be expected in the near future.

which is of immediate concern to both businesses and the public at large, particularly if improvement can be expected in the near future.