President expects more commitment

President Mahinda Rajapaksa called upon Ministry Secretaries to work all seven days of the week to develop the country, especially the North where there was no development for the past 30 years. The President at a meeting with the Ministry Secretaries at Temple Trees said he expected that the Ministry Secretaries will discharge their duties with more dedication and commitment. “The younger generation will have no country if the Armed Forces personnel thought that they should work only 5 days a week.

They dedicated their time and lives for the country and the country is safe because of them, the President added.

The President requested the Ministry Secretaries to take cue from the Security Forces personnel and show greater commitment for the country’s development.

“I hope that the Ministry Secretaries would achieve set targets of their respective Ministries this year, he added.

President Rajapaksa appreciated the dedication and the commitment showed by them in the discharge of their duties last year.

“There are reports that funds allocated for the tsunami rehabilitation in the North have not been utilised for the purpose.

“Funds by the Non Governmental Organisations have not been utilised for the welfare of people in the North, he added.

He ordered all Ministry Secretaries to ensure that all Government institutions be quipped with access facilities for the disabled. He instructed the officials to give priority to purchase papers produced by the Embilipitiya and Valachchenai Paper Mills to meet the paper requirements of Government Corporations, Departments and other institutions.

The officials were also directed to give priority to the newspapers published by the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited when placing advertisements and announcements.

Health Ministry Secretary was directed to take necessary precautionary steps to prevent a swine flu outbreak as it poses a threat to Asia.

The President also directed the Health Secretary to quarantine persons on arrival suspected of carrying the swine flu virus. He also ordered the Secretaries of the Finance and Agriculture Ministries that necessary steps be taken to devise a new system when plants and nuts are imported to Sri Lanka.