Parliamentarian Dayasiri Jayasekara has slammed the government for mishandling the tariff talks with the U.S., stating that Sri Lanka failed to gain tangible benefits from the recently announced tariff reductions.
Addressing a press conference in Colombo, Jayasekara said the NPP government should be ashamed of its incompetence in international trade negotiations.
He pointed out that although the U.S. tariff on Sri Lankan exports was reduced from 44% to 30%, the country missed the chance to secure a more favorable deal.
Jayasekara argued that the government’s poor negotiating strategy prevented Sri Lanka from obtaining greater concessions, possibly the best among the countries listed for tariff revisions.
He criticised the government’s boastful tone, saying it was laughable to celebrate such a modest outcome as a diplomatic victory.
The MP also highlighted the absence of a clear government strategy or official communication during the negotiations.
He claimed the leaders were more focused on personal recognition than the national interest, leading to what he called a missed opportunity.
Jayasekara cited the massive trade imbalance with the U.S., noting that Sri Lanka exports only USD 3 million worth of goods while importing USD 368 million.
He warned that without urgent measures to address the USD 2.6 million trade gap, the country’s fragile economy would face further instability.
Concluding his remarks, Jayasekara said that with proper leadership and vision, Sri Lanka could have turned the U.S. tariff revision into a meaningful economic gain.
