Government to provide better living standards while protecting national resources - Mahinda Rajapakse

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse opening the newly established Building Materials Super Centre and the Trade Exhibition at Sangharaja Mawatha, Colombo said the basic objective of the Government is to provide a better living standard to the people while protecting the national resources.

The Prime Minister on the invitation of Minister of Housing and Construction Industry, Eastern Province Education and Irrigation Development, Ms. Ferial Ashraff and Deputy Minister Chandrasiri Gajadeera opened the Super Centre constructed by the Building Materials Corporation Ltd.

"We have taken initiatives to make the State owned Building Materials Corporation Ltd. financially viable in competitive market through collaboration of public and private sectors and thereby to divert the resultant benefits to the consumers. The co-operation of all is needed to realize this goal," the Prime Minister said.

Prime Minister said that the previous Government followed a policy of selling key State institutions to the private sector.

The present Government deviating from this policy is doing its utmost to make optimal use of them for the betterment of the people.

The Building Materials Corporation having correctly understood this policy has come up with Super Centre to provide Building materials at fair prices in a competitive market.

"At a time the counterfeit items are flooding the market, it is important having a Super Centre like the one we opened today as the consumers wish to purchase their needs with confidence. Instead of destructive competition, it is possible to achieve positive results for all by joint ventures of this nature", the Prime Minister added.

Ms. Ferial Ashraff, Minister of Housing and Construction Industry, Eastern Province Education and Irrigation Development said "When we assumed office the Building Materials Corporation Ltd. was in a crisis situation and it was facing closure in a phased out basis. To reactivate it and to safeguard the jobs of its employees was a challenge to us.

We were able to overcome this challenges by now and establishing the Building Materials Super Centre which will provide the opportunity for both public and private sector institutions to sell their products under one roof."

Minister of Power and Energy, Susil Premajayantha, Minister of Constitutional Affairs, D. E. W. Gunasekara, Minister of Trade, Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, Deputy Minister of Housing and Construction Industry, Eastern Province Education and Irrigation Development and Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Development, Chandrasiri Gajadeera, Chairman of Building Materials Corporation Ltd., Lalith Andrahennadi also addressed the gathering. Minister of Urban Development and Water Supply, Dinesh Gunawardhena, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, A. H. M. Fowzie and Minister of Small and Rural Industries, Segu Issadeen too participated.