President Ranil Wickremesinghe underscored the importance of fortifying the nation’s economy, ensuring that forthcoming generations are spared from enduring the unfortunate period that both the country and its people have weathered in the past two years.

These remarks were made during his participation in the 150th Anniversary celebration of St. Thomas College in Matale on Sunday.

Ranil Wickremesinghe highlighted that resolving the country’s economic challenges goes beyond the success of the debt optimisation programme. He emphasized the need to promptly initiate an economy-building strategy guided by sound decisions.
He cautioned that failure to proactively adopt a new programme would inevitably result in the country facing another economic hurdle within a decade.

The President expressed his vision of propelling the country forward through comprehensive modernization. To achieve this, he announced the establishment of the Technology Promotion Council and the Digital Transformation Commission, aimed at accelerating the nation’s digital evolution.

In an unprecedented event, President Wickremesinghe visited St. Thomas College in Matale, unveiling a commemorative plaque that marked the institution’s 150th Anniversary. He also graciously posed for a group photograph with the Alumni Association.
On the same occasion, the President also conferred certificates upon students who secured the top position in the district during the general education certificate examination.

“It has been a century and a half since the inception of St. Thomas College in Matale. During its establishment, the country relied on a plantation-based economy with a significant focus on coffee cultivation”, he said.

However, within a few years, the coffee industry collapsed, causing severe
economic downturn and depriving the government of its revenue stream.
He added that the economy struggled until the introduction of tea and rubber cultivation, which revitalised the nation’s financial standing.