evidence: For example, a comparison of construction costs in Sri Lanka determined that highway construction costs per kilometre were three times global averages.11 The explosion of domestic and external debt since 2005 has also closely tracked actions that have restricted the independence and competency of key institutions, increased the concentration of authority among closely connected individuals, and committed the state to financing mega-projects approved at the Cabinet level using opaque processes. [...] Special Statement Delivered By President Ranil Wickremesinghe, June 1st 2023, https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/special-statement-delivered-by-president-ranil-wickremesinghe-full-text/