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by Indeewara Thilakarathne

A massive development program will be launched in the Western Region to accelerate the development process, said the Minister of Western Region Development M. H. Mohamed at the opening of his office at Sethsiripaya, Battaramulla recently. The ceremony was preceded by the official handing over of the Vihara Mahadevi Park which had been taken over by the UDA from the Colombo MC.

The development program will take off with 100 day program intended to put the economy on the right track and to bring immediate relief to the masses. Some of the projects of the program are relocation of Kela Market, Pavement Park at Saunders place, redevelopment of the World Market, landscaping of Parliament ground, Beira Lake and Vihara Mahadevi Park.

A Western Regional Development Council will be set up to facilitate the participation of a representative cross section of the people in the region and the Council shall be an advisory body composed of recognised leaders and pace-setters among community leaders, NGOs and academics. Minister shall appoint members to the Council. "I have requested Lalith Kotalawala to accept the presidentship of the Council and Rienzie Wijetilaka to join the Council", said the Minister.

He said that his main priority was to accelerate the development of the Western Province which can play a pivotal role as the centre for economic and other services in the South Asian Region and to help Sri Lankan businesses and households,the towns, municipalities and rural communities and provincial and local governments to achieve their development objectives.

Minister said that Western Region which comprises districts of Colombo,Gampaha and Kalutara and Sri Jayawardanapura, the administrative capital of Sri Lanka, Colombo the commercial capital are included in this region. The Minister has also been given the concurrent national portfolios of Regional Economic Development, Physical Planning and Urban Development in addition to formulating strategies,policies for the development of the Western Region.

He said that alternative accommodation will be provided for the slum dwellers and pavement hawkers and would continue with the projects like Sahasa Pura condominium started by the previous regime.

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