Priority for Eastern development - President’s Secretary

COLOMBO: The valiant Security Forces, with their victories in the East and elsewhere, are making every effort to create an environment where all communities can live in harmony sans fear and suspicion, Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunga said yesterday.

Addressing a function held at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday to express the gratitude of the Nation to the Security Forces, Weeratunga said their immense dedication will help build a peaceful, prosperous country.

He said the Government had an enormous task ahead to rebuild the East and turn it once more into a prosperous, developed region. Terrorism has rendered it one of the poorest, least developed areas in the country but the Government was determined to change this picture for the better.

He noted that President Mahinda Rajapaksa had already started the Negenahira Navodaya (Eastern Resurgence) programme with this aim in mind and all Lankans should extend their fullest support to this programme irrespective of petty political and other differences.

This endeavour will make the Security Forces’ sacrifice more meaningful.

He also recalled the services rendered to the East by Chief Secretary Herath Abeyweera, who was assassinated by an unknown gunman in Trincomalee. It is an irreparable loss for the Eastern people. “The biggest tribute we can pay him is continuing the development plans he envisaged for the Province.”

He assured that the Government would develop the Eastern Province and all other backward provinces through an accelerated programme.