Lanka heading towards an honourable path

We reported in our main story yesterday, that for the first time, the Government of Sri Lanka has departed from the traditional practice of bowing to the dictates of lending agencies and received aid sans conditions.

The Governor of the Central Bank Ajith Nivard Cabral said, in the past the general pattern was in negotiating for loans, donors or lenders laid down conditions and prerequisites that had to be followed by Sri Lanka. He said, very often Sri Lanka was pushed into accepting terms and conditions which were not favourable to the nation.

This news comes at a time when Sri Lanka is celebrating its 59th year of Independence and we are sure what the Governor of the Central Bank said is music to the ears of all Sri Lankans who love and honour their motherland. The timing couldn't have been better.

Sri Lanka is an island with many natural resources and beauty. Sri Lankans are a very talented lot as they have proved all over the world.

However, many of us have not worked to our true potential in developing our own country and have not contributed enough to stand up to and save the country from foreign powers, foreign interference and worked towards reducing foreign debts. When we say Sri Lankans we even mean the politicians. However, this move comes as a blessing for our island nation.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has pointed out on several occasions how the country could use local expertise to handle mega development projects in the country. He has shown how the country could save large sums of money by giving it to the local experts.

We are not trying to shower praise on him but, today we have a leader, a true son of the soil who can stand up for his country. It is that leadership which is bringing such changes. That is why he also has called for a home grown solution to the problem we are faced with. He has also shown the country and the world how he could build bridges and how he could help all others to reach out.

We as a nation must begin to love our motherland, the way we all love our parents. We should love the country unconditionally. It is only then we could bring prosperity and true independence to our island nation. Be it Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims, Malay, Burgher and others we are all Sri Lankans. We cannot lose our pride as a nation though many have.

They point fingers at their own motherland while ripping it off her resources. They live in Sri Lanka but their minds are elsewhere and their pockets are full of dollars and blood stained notes. We call upon such people to breath fresh air of the paradise isle and look at our motherland with clear eyes and help this country become truly independent.

We ask them not to send false reports just to earn few more dollars. Mother Lanka will forgive them as a real mother would for all their sins because they are also sons and daughters of hers.

Let us join hands and be truly independent.

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