Govt should go for massive development drive - PM

Shirley WIJESINGHE and Chaminda PERERA

All woes of the country cannot be rectified by the eradication of terrorism. The Government should go for an urgent massive development drive, said Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka.

The Prime Minister was speaking at the opening of the Horana Bus stand and the market complex yesterday.

The Security Forces are striving to wipe out terrorism from the country. We are at the last leg of the humanitarian operation to free the innocent civilians trapped by the LTTE.

The terrorists are engaged in various atrocities hiding behind the civilians in the No Fire Zone. Some quarters are asking why the Government has failed to free the civilians trapped by the LTTE.

The Security Forces exercise maximum caution to ensure that civilians are not affected by the Security Forces mission, the PM said.

”The coming Sinhala and Hindu New Year will dawn a new era to the country,” the Premier added.

The Government did not stop the development activities despite the humanitarian operation. The present military victory is specially for future generation, Prime Minister Wickramanayaka said.

Commenting on the statements of rival political elements, the PM said the Government will not take any funds from IMF on hard conditions.

The economic crisis has been spread all over the world. Millions of people will lose their jobs.

The capitalist governments once kept their trust on the private sector. But today America’s private sector is being administrated by its government, he cited.