By Waruni Paranagamage

In a bid to safeguard the economy, Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake yesterday said that priority would be given to essential imported goods while the import of other non-essential items would be curbed.

He said that the move was aimed at protecting the interests of local producers and industries. 

“We will develop the management in the local industrial sector to surpass the standards that the private sector industries are practicing at present,” he told the media at the Finance Ministry yesterday. 

Karunanayake further asserted that the unity of the two main parties in the Government had pleasantly surprised the international community and built a positive image for Sri Lanka.