Sri Lanka's Joint Chambers of Commerce have called for an investigation into allegations that the government has manipulated statistics in order to boost Gross Domestic Product (GDP) numbers.
The statement, released last week, noted that doubts had been cast over the credibility of the figures released by the government on the country's GDP. It stated,
"If such doubts were to persist, it would lead to a lack of credibility on a range of published data & have serious implications on investor confidence & country ratings".
"Therefore, The Joint Chambers of Commerce urge the authorities to investigate the relevant allegations in a credible & transparent manner and to establish the integrity of data published by all agencies as a matter of urgency."
Amongst the signatories were the National Chamber of Commerce, COYLE, CNCI, National Chamber of Exporters and the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.
The accusations were denied by the Sri Lankan government.
See the full statement and report from Lanka Business Online here.