Certain foreign forces envious of SL's progress - PM

Sandasen MARASINGHE

Prime Minister D M Jayaratne yesterday stated that several foreign countries and organizations who are envious of Sri Lanka's emergence with the rapid developing rate in the aftermath of a protracted conflict, are attempting to make false allegations against the President of Sri Lanka.

Prime Minister  D M Jayaratne

He made this observation at the symposium on the National Physical Plan and the ceremony to hand over the plan to President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the BMICH, organized by the Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities Ministry to mark the first anniversary of the President Mahinda Rajapaksa assuming duties in his office for the second term.

The Prime Minister further stated that Sri Lanka was the only country out of 38 threatened by terrorism that eliminated terrorism from its soil under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. He added that the World Bank and International Monetary Fund have accepted that Sri Lanka is a rapidly developing country in the Asian region. Certain countries that are envious of our progress are making baseless allegations against our leader, he said.

The Prime Minister further said that the formulation of the National Physical Plan was the first of its kind in Sri Lanka which is formulated in line with the Mahinda Chinthana Future Vision. He added that such a large number of massive development projects had never been initiated in Sri Lanka's ancient history, as is being done now under the President's leadership.

Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities Minister Wimal Weerawansa, Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities Deputy Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga and National Physical Planning Department Director General Lakshman Jayasekara also participated on the occasion.