Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Racism, religious tensions will never be allowed again - Prime Minister

Wednesday, May 24, 2017 
Racism and religious tensions must never be allowed to rear their ugly heads, and if someone violates the law and tries to create ethnic or religious disputes, the Police has to take action against those responsible, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said.
“Some elements with vested interests that tried and failed to destabilise the country by propagating separatism are now trying to achieve the same objective by creating religious tensions.We cannot allow such things to take place.We all should get-together and condemn and prevent such acts” he added.
The Prime Minister also said that there cannot be room for another war in the country.
The Prime Minister made these remarks at a ceremony organised to evaluate several projects of the NYSC, at Temple Trees yesterday.
Speaking to the large youth gathering, the Prime Minister said he has instructed to the relevant authorities to increase the number of Yovun Samaja and to strengthen the Youth Parliament further.
The Prime Minister said that the National Youth Services Council was restructured after the people’s victory of 2015, aiming to open more doors for youths to come forward to steer the country.
Under this move, National Youth Council was strengthened by establishing “Yovun Samaja” countrywide at village level again. Besides, the Youth Parliament was established aiming to create multi-skilled youths, he added.
The government is duty bound to generate new employments and to generate income sources especially for youths. The attentions of the government, has drawn on creating more employment opportunities for youths now.
He said: “Whatever we do there should be peace in the country. Nothing can be achieved or gained without having peace.
If this event was held during the terror period, no youth from the North and East could achieve anything at the Youth evaluating ceremony. The lifestyle was decayed after 1985 as the result of terrorism.Youths lived in North left the country” he said.
He added that people in the North and East are receiving the dividends of peace. As there is no war in the country, the government is engaged in creating a better future for youths.
The country needs not any arm conflicts hereafter, since such conflicts bring much misery to the country.
Base on the new constitution, which being prepared, the eternal peace is established.
“Without peace there is no development” the Prime Minister noted.
He added that countries which were below us by 1983, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, have overtook our country by now owing to terrorism. Bangladesh is nearing us. Only Myanmar, Afghanistan, Cambodia, Laos are behind us. Those countries overtook us since we were affected by the war. Accordingly, it is needed to have peace for the country to move forward and achieve prosperity.
If the peace is protected, the country can move forward rapidly. He noted that the country is assisted by the world including the Europe. With the receiving of GSP+ the country’s economy will benefit immensely.
“As a result of improved international relations, many countries have come forward to assist Sri Lanka. India, China are going to assist the Sri Lanka on various key projects in many sectors including power and energy sector, production, tourism sector etc” he said.
Above all, with the GSP+ tax concession, exports should be increased, Prime Minister added that everyone needs to take the advantage of the GSP + concession.