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by Uditha Kumarasinghe

Agriculture, Livestock and Samurdhi Minister S.B. Dissanayake said the world community has acclaimed the initiatives taken by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to bring a peaceful settlement to the ethnic problem by moving into a correct direction to rebuild the country.

The Minister made these observations at the opening ceremony of the National Agricultural Exhibition organised by the Agriculture Ministry held at Vijayaba Central College, Yapahuwa on Monday.

The Prime Minister has given a firm assurance to the country that he will find a peaceful settlement to end the ethnic conflict through negotiations with the LTTE, he said.

The Premier has clearly stated that the Government will not divide the country. The sole intention of the Government is to bring a peaceful settlement to the ethnic crisis through the proposed interim administrative structure, he said.

The Minister said the Government will make every possible attempt to bring a permanent peace to the country which will assist Southerners as well as Northerners to live with dignity and honour.

"We could not rebuild the country during the past 50 years. As a result of the Government monopoly of the entire economy, youth have faced unemployment. Each country which followed this policy was divided leading to economic ruin," the Minister said.

"Therefore, we should vest certain sections of the country in the private sector and seek their assistance to develop the country. The growth of private sector will directly benefit youth and working classes."

Dissanayake said that having considered this long felt need, Prime Minister has undertaken the difficult task of turning the country into the correct path. The PA Government could not do so during their regime. Due to key initiatives taken by the Premier to rebuild the country, the world community has pledged their financial support to the Government.

The Minister said the Government is very keen to safeguard the country's farmer community and overcome their problems. Amidst various difficulties, the Government is successfully moving forward to eradicate poverty by uplifting the socio-economic conditions of the people.

He said 40 per cent of the country's people are dependent on agriculture while 70 per cent of the people are connected to agriculture. Therefore immediate measures have to be taken to increase productivity in the agriculture sector.

Under the national agriculture policy, the intention of the Agriculture Ministry was to make the country self sufficient in rice by 2005. However, farmers have already reached this target by producing a rice surplus. The Ministry has already taken steps to provide this rice surplus to animal husbandry projects and to cater the demand in other state and private sector institutions, he said.

Through this National Wap Magul Festival and the agricultural exhibition the Ministry hopes to awaken the farmers by introducing them modern technology to improve their cultivation, the Minister said.

Paddy Development Minister D.M. Bandaranayake, Women's Affairs Minister Amara Piyaseeli Rathnayake and Agriculture Ministry Secretary Dhanasena Hettiarachchi also spoke.

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