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from Kalutara group correspondent Divakara Mohotti

When we speak of a General Election People's Alliance members get high fever, but for us to show the 2/3rd majority is like a normal child birth, said Lands Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne addressing gathering at Kalutara.

The minister was addressing the opening of the Communication Local in the post office and the sales centre of the publication bureau at Kalutara post office premises. This was opened by the Minister of Mass-Communication Imthiaz Bakeer Makar recently at the Kalutara post office.

Dr. Senaratne said for the amendment to the constitution to restrict the power vested in the President, U.N.F. government has a certain 2/3rd majority, and therefore the necessity to go for a general election will not be required.

He said we are ready to face an election in five or six years time, and by the time that election is held the economy of the country would have improved and there would be real development in all spheres. With only 8 months gone the signs of this development are coming to light. Dr. Senaratne said the Prime Minister who met the President of US recently has laid the foundation for this development. After the second world war America gave a pledge to Singapore that she would give a helping hand to the Prime Minister of Singapore for his development plan and they did so. Likewise the US President has informed our Prime Minister, that he will develop Sri Lanka to be the gateway to Asia. Thus the development of economy of Sri Lanka is quite clear.

He said the world aid that was stopped in 1999 will be given to us under the present government. We have recommenced the construction of the Colombo - Matara highway which was abandoned by the P.A. Government. Regular loss of human beings that prevailed earlier has been brought to an end by the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

It has resulted in the saving of 400 million dollars which could be utilized for development work. The present peace process is not a bug-bear as the JVP is trying to show. The opposition to the peace movement today is shown, because they were not be able to do it during the PA regime. Mass Communication Minister Imthiasz Bakeer Markar said, that Universal Postal Day falls on October 9. It will be celebrated on a grand scale by the government in Kalutara and will be the main function of the ceremony. We have so far opened 20 communication locals and steps are being taken to set up six more locals in Kalutara district in the near future. He said that we will not privatise the Postal Department, but make it as efficient as possible to compete with the private sector. The trade unions in Sri Lanka are used to picketing without finding out what is actually happening.

Even the Communist countries are surprised to see this type of useless picketing, before you decide to strike you should be able to discuss the matter with the relevant Minister, but such things will never happen in Sri Lanka. Post Master General W.M. Piyasena, Deputy R.M. Jayasinghe and Kalutara Branch Post Master B.W.P. Wijesinghe also spoke.

Kithsiri Kahatapitiya WPC Member, Kalutara UC Chairman Dr. W.T.P. Ariyaratne, Yesmin Siriwardana, G.A. Kalutara and Assistant District - Secretary W.S. Karunaratne participated.

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Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
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