Economic crisis: Lankan group appreciates Congresswoman Titus’s backing

Three Sri Lankan expatriates, as special attendees at an official State of Nevada Democratic Party gathering, in Las Vegas, where U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was the guest of honour, extended their unreserved gratitude to House Member Dina Titus for taking the leadership to assist Sri Lanka, in recent months, with food and nutritional requirements, foreign media reports said.

Sanje Sedera, Chairman of both Sri Lanka-America Chamber of Commerce and Sri Lanka-America Association of Las Vegas, along with two executive directors of both organizations Lalindra Wickremaratne and Daya Gamage, on behalf of the Sri Lankan people, thanked Congresswoman Dina Titus for taking the lead to impress upon Washington policymakers the urgent need for humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka.

Since Dina Titus, and nine other Congressmen, addressed an official communiqué to U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, and USAID Administrator, Samantha Power, early August, Washington has taken swift measures to dispatch humanitarian assistance to Colombo, it has been noted. Sri Lanka-America Chamber of Commerce, a national entity, based in the Convention Capital of the world, Las Vegas, since its debut a year ago, has gradually been reaching to policymakers in Washington, D.C., U.S. Congressmen who have assignments in foreign affairs, agriculture and commerce and the U.S. Department of Treasury, on issues such as trade, investment and commerce between the two countries.

Two senior officials from the Treasury Department travelled all the way to Las Vegas to have a dialogue with the officials of the Chamber, in June this year. One of them had travelled to Sri Lanka, the previous month, to meet several Cabinet members, including Ali Sabry.

The Chamber, in recent months,has given top priority to find avenues to get humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka, a spokesman noted.

The three officials of the two Sri Lankan expatriate organizations attended the ruling Democratic Party official gathering to have discourses with lawmakers to further encourage them to help enhance humanitarian assistance to the economically beleaguered Sri Lanka.

The Sri Lankan expatriates made House Speaker Nancy Pelosi knowledgeable during their conversation with her at this gathering.

Political activist and entrepreneur Sanje Sedera says that the close rapport he and other expatriates developed with Washington lawmakers and policymakers, during the past two decades, as well as using strategic diplomacy is bringing dividends at this hour of need for Sri Lanka.

Congresswoman Dina Titus remarked that she and her colleague in the Congress are aware of the plight of Sri Lanka and reiterated her commitment to assist Colombo, it has been reported.