President lauds working class for thwarting strike

Rohan MATHES

COLOMBO: President Mahinda Rajapaksa lauded and thanked the working class for their cooperation in thwarting the strike organised by reactionary indigenous and alien conspirators, at a decisive moment for the Motherland.

Presiding at a meeting with representatives of the North-Central and Sabaragamuwa Province Chambers of Commerce at Temple Trees yesterday, President Rajapaksa categorically pointed out that irrespective of the party in power the country should first survive to implement its policies.

He pointed out that as indicated in the pro-LTTE Websites TamilNet and Nidarshanam, the LTTE too had extended their assistance to the strike and this amply illustrated the objectives and the motives behind the strike organised by the UNP, JVP and the TNA alliance.

However, President Rajapaksa stated that there had been an extended fleet of buses on the roads yesterday and the conspirators had failed miserably in attempts to disrupt any of the normal services in the country, as envisaged by them.

The President said the sole concern and the request of the people as depicted by the mandate given to him at the Presidential elections, was to liberate and eradicate terrorism in all its manifestations.

“I have accomplished this arduous task already by liberating the East,” he added.

Ministers G. L. Peiris, Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, Milroy Fernando and Milinda Moragoda and the Governor of the Sabaragamuwa Province Dixon Dela Bandara, former Chief Minister of Sabaragamuwa Mahipala Herath, North Central Province Governor Karunarathna Divulgane, Finance Ministry Secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundera, representatives of the Provincial Chambers of Commerce and other Government officials participated.