New Year in united country:

Hope for a better tomorrow

Asela Kuruluwansa

At a time when President Mahinda Rajapaksa has paved the way for all Sri Lankans to celebrate the new year under a united country after 30 years.

It is the duty of all irrespective of party affiliations to re-elect him for the second term so that he will able to make Sri Lanka a prosperous nation, Tourism Development Minister, Faiszer Musthapha said.

He was addressing a meeting in Paththollamada in Akurana. He said the people will get an opportunity in the new year to decide whether they are to see prosperous future for the country by electing President Rajapaksa to office or betray the nation to local and foreign conspirators.

The Minister said President Rajapaksa who delivered his pledge to eradicate terrorism from the country to the letter was seeking a fresh mandate to accelerate the country’s development to make, it a powerful nation in Asia. He will deliver on this pledge as he has already done with the other promise”, Musthapha asserted.

He said since the chief obstruction that stood in the way of development is no more it would be much easier to provide relief measures to the people and give more strength to the president to develop the country at an accelerated pace. He said a program has also been drawn up to target 2.5 million tourist arrivals to the country by 2016, the past six months witnessed a 40% growth in tourist arrivals.