SL transformed into developed country after war - Basil

A Press Release issued by the Economic Development Ministry states that Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa, at a ceremony held to declare open Child and Maternity clinics at Batuwatte in Ragama, Imbulgoda in Gampaha and in the Divulapitiya - Halpe areas on May 23, declared that although Sri Lanka lagged behind during war times, the country was transformed into a developed state in Asia after the war ended.

The release states that the minister stated that free education and health services in the country were affected during the terrorism period but that it was possible to maintain health services on a high level due to the commitment of health officers.

The release also states: "The programme of constructing modernised child and maternity clinics, to enable women to deliver healthy children in our country, was initiated under a concept of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. We have implemented a programme of constructing child and maternity clinics in each Grama Niladhari Division in the Gampaha District. We suffered from brutal terrorism for nearly 30 years. After the war period, we constructed a new harbour. The Opposition called this a 'swimming pool'. They also said that it is necessary to light fire crackers to scare away birds before a plane lands at the new airport. Although such low criticism is levelled, the President has held that development programmes should be initiated for the benefit of the nation.

Today we have developed Pradeshiya Sabha roads as expressways. We have provided electricity to villages. More power stations are needed to supply electricity to the whole country. We developed power plants such as the Umaoya, Upper Kotmale, Norochcholai and the Kerawalapitiya thermal power plant to provide a 24 hour supply of electricity to the country.

The water supply problem in the Gampaha District will end soon and people in Attanagalla, Dompe, Minuwangoda will be supplied with water under the irrigation scheme being constructed across the Attanagalu Oya. The Opposition move to make May 21 a non- working day was an utter failure", the minister said. Social service Minister Felix Perera, Indigenous Medicine Deputy Minister Pandu Bandaranayake and several others were present at the occasion.