Galle to be developed as tourist destination

Nadira Gunatilleke

The Galle town will be developed as a Tourist and Cultural destination. Rs.1,000 million has already allocated by the Government for this project. The Galle harbour will be developed enabling it to anchor 200 sails, Social Services and Social Welfare Deputy Minister Lionel Premasiri told the Daily News.

Deputy Minister Premasiri said all industries in the Southern Province, especially the tourism industry showed a significant growth after the Government eradicated terrorism and established peace in the country. It is traditional craftsmen in the Province who mostly benefited from lasting peace. Their expectation is a stable leadership and a stable Government.

According to the Deputy Minister, the UPFA will win the Southern Provincial Council polling 80 percent of the total number of votes and it has become a `one horse race' for the UPFA. It will win the Galle electorate with a majority of 15,000 votes. UNP supporters join UPFA during almost every meeting and it is hard to believe how some traditionally strong UNP supporters are rallying round the Government. Knowing the defeat they are going to experience, the UNP has nominated six candidates for Galle and UPFA has nominated only two.

The people living in the Southern Province are intelligent and educated. They cannot be fooled by fabricated stories of the UNP. Since the UNP is in short of slogans they sling mud on certain UPFA candidates. There will be minor clashes among candidates as long as the preferential system exists.

It is the reality. President Mahinda Rajapaksa has instructed all UPFA candidates to refrain from mud slinging at any other candidate no matter which political party they belong to. The President had stated that no portfolios will be given to the candidates who win using unethical tactics.