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Laudable goals

President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing the nation from the hill capital Kandy last Thursday set out three tasks to be accomplished during the next term of his office. They are uniting hearts of people of all communities, fast track development to the status of a developed nation and opening a new era in international relations.

These are all inter-related tasks with the accomplishment of one feeding the other. He united the territory of the country by defeating terrorism that plagued it for nearly three decades. Uniting the hearts or establishing durable peace that would erase all ill feelings and ill will among different communities naturally takes priority. It is a huge challenge which has to be met not just by the President or by politicians alone. It is a task for all people inhabiting Sri Lanka. It is not possible without the dedication, understanding and commitment by all. In order to bring the estranged communities together many initiatives of bridge-building at various levels are required. Here artistes, the academia, the professionals and the business community have a vital role to play. The Government has taken the initiative in this regard beginning with the rehabilitation and resettlement of the internally displaced, the easing of restrictions guaranteeing freedom of movement and livelihood for the people hitherto confined to certain areas on account of security considerations etc.

President Rajapaksa has pledged to put forward a blueprint of a solution of the National Question for discussion to arrive at the widest possible consensus. We hope the process would begin in earnest after the conclusion of the forthcoming general election and the swearing in of the new Government.

The next task President outlined in Kandy was economic development. He stressed the need to go fast forward to a developed country status. He said funds hitherto used for the war could be channeled for economic development, the basis for which has already been laid despite the war. This is not a mere dream but a realizable dream. Sri Lanka already has a per capita GDP of over US $ 2000. The target is to double it in the next four to five years. If correct economic and fiscal policies are followed we could attain a growth rate exceeding eight to 10 percent annually.

To quote the President, he said: "An efficient, advanced nation needs to be built to replace a country which is lazy, lethargic and lacks energy?. This calls for more dedication, commitment and discipline from all. It also calls for an end to wastage and corruption. It demands a higher productivity of labour which in turn calls for more resources for the development of human resources and R & D. Incidentally, how much would the country develop if all employees in public and private institutions put in an honest eight hours of labour.

Finally, the President said that Sri Lanka is entering a golden age of foreign relations. The basis for his optimism was the fact that the separatist war has ended and the LTTE which spearheaded the separatist campaign has been definitively beaten. It is true that during the period of the war and especially during its last stages of relations with certain friendly countries were strained. However, Sri Lanka continued to engage these countries and did its best to explain the true position with regard to the situation in the country. Already we see signs of a thaw where earlier it was not so smooth. Unfortunately certain internal forces too were in collusion with the misguided elements abroad to campaign against the country in the international media and elsewhere. The people have now given a fitting rebuff to all these detractors and those individuals, organizations and even countries that were misled could now realize the baseless nature of the allegations they were making.

Sri Lankan foreign policy is truly non-aligned. That does not mean it is sitting on the fence on international issues. It only means that it is pursuing an independent foreign policy dictated by the national interest without being servile to or influenced by outside forces.

Sri Lanka's friendship with one country is never at the expense of another for she is friendly with all countries. However, our relations with our Asian neighbours occupy a special place due to historical economic, political and cultural links with them through centuries.

Sri Lanka looks to the future

January 26 was an historic day for Sri Lanka. It was the first presidential election for more than 25 years that was unaffected by the terrorism and intimidation of the LTTE. The overwhelming majority of Sri Lankans who exercised their democratic right that day voted for an end to division, an end to terrorism and for a new beginning of peace and prosperity.

Full Story

The Morning Inspection

Do you know how Kanneliya celebrated Independence Day, Mr President?

Ask any little child about rainforests and that child will murmur ‘Sinharaja’. Few, though, children or adult, would have heard about Kanneliya. Kanneliya was in ancient times part of the Sinharaja Rainforest. It was declared a Forest Reserve in July, 1933.

Full Story

On My Watch

Cacophony of lies from purveyors of political vendetta

“January 26 was an historic day for Sri Lanka. It was the first presidential election for more than 25 years that was unaffected by the terrorism and intimidation of the LTTE. The overwhelming majority of Sri Lankans who exercised their democratic right last Tuesday voted for an end to division, an end to terrorism and for a new beginning of peace and prosperity.

Full Story

 

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