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| Saturday, 27 March 2004 |
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| No privatisation in key public sectors - President by Ranil Wijayapala President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga yesterday gave a firm assurance that remaining State institutions engaged in businesses in the banking sector, transport, petroleum, electricity, ports and water supply will not be privatised at any cost under a Freedom Alliance Government. Addressing the small and medium sector business community at the President's House, the President said there was no impediment for the Government to run those institutions as profit making independent business institutions to provide services to public. "We have no intention to privatise those remaining State institutions," the President added. "We need only to infuse better management into these institutions to make them profit making bodies to provide better public services", the President added. She said during the PA regime, they turned around State banks which were on the verge of collapse at the tail end of the then UNP Government, and made them profit making bodies. She said steps will also be taken to provide financial assistance if those institutions have already have partnerships with the private sector, to provide better services to the public. Explaining the future plans stipulated in the Freedom Alliance manifesto, the President said businesses based on local resources will be given top priority under a Freedom Alliance government. "We are committed to encourage the local business community by giving them more concessions to promote their businesses while maintaining the concessions provided to direct foreign investments", the President added. President Kumaratunga said the Freedom Alliance has plans to promote tea, coconut and paddy as national crops and to give top priority in promoting the agriculture sector. The President enlightened the small and medium scale business community on the Freedom Alliance plans on promoting the tourism industry, industrial sector, fisheries sector, Information Technology industry, and the agriculture based industries. Asserting the fact that small and medium scale businessmen contribute more than 65 per cent of the tea and coconut industry of the country the President said there will be more emphasis in promoting small and medium sector businessmen under a Freedom Alliance Government. The President said they have plans to make the country self sufficient with basic food items like rice, coconut, chille, onion and potato within three years. Media Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar, former JVP MP Vijitha Herath, Presidential Adviser Mano Tittawella and Southern Provincial Council Governor Kingsley T. Wickremeratne also participated. |
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