I see the Accountants being vital partners in the operationalizing of the 5 major hubs, and in particular, the commercial and knowledge hubs that we are keen to establish in our country. The CAs have expertise in accounting, auditing, taxation, information technology, financial management, banking, planning, financial analysis and project management, among many other skills. The contribution they could make in the new Sri Lanka that is unfolding before us, therefore, is immense. The skills that they possess in finance, planning and business are also varied, and hence they could play a very important role in many spheres of public and private enterprise of our country. I am confident they would respond to that call, and all of you would enhance your role in our country’s economic activities in the future. A finance man as governor? Let me now strike a slightly personal note before I proceed to conclude this address. In order to do so, let me quote from what Exter had to say about the person to be selected as the Governor: “Although the ultimate authority rests in the Monetary Board, the draft law nevertheless recognizes need for a strong chief executive for the Central Bank. Accordingly, the Governor is made the Chairman of the Monetary Board, and is given control of the agenda for its meetings.
That shared vision has been the platform that has helped the two institutions to achieve “goal congruence” in the recent past, and there is also no doubt that the resulting harmonization has been the powerful driving force behind our steady progress. 12  BIS central bankers’ speeches  In the meantime, we must also appreciate that a large segment of our economic activities are carried out by the private sector, to which many of you belong. Your contribution then, has also been a vital factor in maintaining the momentum and thrust of our economy. Therefore, let me acknowledge today that, no amount of harmonization of Monetary and Fiscal policies could ever be a substitute for the commitment and dedication of a vast number of entrepreneurs who take risks, as well as burn the mid-night oil, to deliver value in our economy. A future role for the accountancy profession Where do we go from here? In my view, Sri Lanka has only just begun an exciting and adventurous journey, and we are steadily moving towards a $ 100 billion economy that would be more diversified and more stable. Needless to say, the success of our journey would depend to a great extent on harmonized policies, clarity of communication, quick implementation, and the maintenance of a vibrant momentum on a continuous basis. In that context, I see the accounting profession playing an increasingly significant role.