PM at National Safety Day:

Nation Achieved Great Success

Prime Minister D M Jayaratne said that the responsibility rests upon us to create a nation rising from the ashes instead of being melancholic with a disaster mentality. He said as the Government worked with proper understanding and responsibility, we as a nation have achieved great success during the last six years since the 2004 tsunami disaster.

The Prime Minister was speaking while participating as the chief guest at the function held yesterday at the Jaffna Weerasingham Hall to commemorate the National Safety Day. The Prime Minister said that the main cause for the increase severity of disasters is that people do not have proper understanding of the nature of the disaster.

He stressed on the responsibility of relevant officers to make people aware of impending disasters and some of them had worked irresponsibly on such occasions in the past.

He said that disaster could be caused by the sea, the wind and on land as well as through human activities and we should be prepared to face any eventuality.

The Prime Minister said the Government has provided tsunami victims the maximum relief through several accelerated projects.

He pointed out that Sri Lankans are fortunate to live in a country that lesser prone to disasters when compared with other countries.

“If everybody works as one people and one country we could win all external challenges,” Prime Minister Jayaratne said. Disaster Management Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said it is the principle of the President to serve everybody alike.

He pointed out that measures have now been taken to face any such disastrous situation that affects the country in the future.

He requested people to act wisely in such disasters.

Traditional Industries and Small Enterprises Development Minister Douglas Devananda also addressed the gathering.