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Colombo ready to usher in festive season

Based on a concept of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe that all Sri Lankans enjoy the peace dividend during the upcoming festive season, the Ministry of Interior and Christian Affairs has drawn up a programme of festivities to concide with Christmas and New Year.

A ministry media release stated all arrangements have now been finalised to usher in a festive atmosphere in Colombo and the suburban towns of Negombo and Moratuwa coinciding with Christmas and New Year commencing 1st December to 2nd January, 2003 according to the Ministry of Interior and Christian Affairs which is co-ordinating all events in this connection.

The release adds Colombo will undergo a vast transformation with illuminations, entertainment events like Christmas carols, musical shows, exhibitions, ballets and dramas held at different venues in the city and suburbs. "The festival atmosphere would be such that Colombo has never experienced before", said Minister of Interior and Christian Affairs, John Amaratunga.

Minister John Amaratunga said that the programme of festivities has been drawn up on a concept of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe who felt that we should make maximum use of the peace dividend during this festive season since this is the first Christmas and New Year being celebrated after the ceasefire accord was singed. December also marks the first anniversary of the United Front Government.

With the city devoid of all barriers and travel restrictions prevalent during festive seasons for many years in the recent past, people of all walks of life will feel free to move about without any inhibitions. The festive atmosphere will provide more to people in terms of enjoyment and pleasure in the midst of festive shopping sprees and other commercial activity normally associated with Christmas and New Year. It will also go a long way in enhancing the image of the country abroad as a safe and peaceful place which would greatly help in attracting tourists and foreign investors.

The festive season commences with the lighting up of entire Colombo city on 1st December with illuminations and decorative lighting, festive buntings at all roundabouts and streets in the city, private sector and government buildings, hotels, banks and institutions. Minister of Interior and Christian Affairs, John Amaratunga along with the several other Ministers, Parliamentarians, city fathers and citizens of Colombo will symbolically switch on the illuminations on 1st December at Lipton Circus roundabout, Galadari Hotel roundabout, Liberty Plaza roundabout and Kotahena roundabout leading to St. Lucia's Cathedral.

The Minister said that there had been a tremendous response from the private sector organisations and individuals as well as State organisations to the call made to light up their establishments as well as sponsor various programmes and events earmarked during the month of festivities. Christian organisations and the Catholic churches have come forward to assist in holding carols and helping the needy sections of society.

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