September 11, 2019 (LBO) - The most influential businessmen in Sri Lanka packed the front rows of the Viyathmaga Annual Convention to hear the economic vision of Sri Lanka's first officially declared major presidential candidate, Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
Sri Lanka's most powerful businessmen regularly embrace candidates from both sides of the aisle, aiming for their businesses to win favour with whatever government that is in power.
Many have been coined with the term 'oligarchs' due to monopolistic businesses that have often benefited from political patronage.
Viyathmaga states as it's vision: "To mobilize the nascent potential of the professionals, academics and entrepreneurs to effectively influence the moral and material development of Sri Lanka in par with the other developed countries where all citizens live in an environment of equity and fair play, with equal opportunities in the advancement of these ideals."