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Buddhasasana, Justice, Law Reform and National Integration Minister W.J.M. Lokubandara said the present government is always prepared to heed public criticism and correct its mistakes accordingly. That is why the government has strengthened all democratic freedoms of the people without trying to stiffle them in any way.

The Minister was addressing a meeting held at the Hali-Ela Pradeshiya Sabha office to review development activities in the Hali-Ela area.

The meeting was convened on the initiative of Hali-Ela Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman Tilak Samarasekera and R.M. Ratnayake.

Minister Lokubandara said that even though President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga was the Head of State they should also remember that Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe too had received a mandate from the people similar to that of former Prime Ministers D.S. Senanayake, Dudley Senanayake, and Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike.

The objective of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was to ensure a prosperous future for the country and its people by reviving the national economy which had been in shambles.

The Minister said the government which inherited an economy with negative growth and an immense debt burden of Rs. 6 billion had already made a significant turn around by ensuring a growth rate of 5 percent within a short span of one year. This in itself was a major achievement.

Minister Lokubandara said the Government is gaining added strength and stability day by day and as such people should not encounter any fears of another general election in the near future. The opposition PA was in total disarray with infighting between its top rung clamouring to become its next Prime Ministerial candidate.

The government which has coaxed the dreadful LTTE to enter the negotiating process to bring lasting peace without dividing the country has launched a simultaneous program to usher in economic development and prosperity to the country and as such all local bodies including Municipal and Urban Councils and Pradeshiya Sabhas should render their unstinted support and co-operation towards the government to ensure the success of these programs.

R.M. Ratnayake said several new programs have been launched to develop the Hali-Ela area. He said the Provincial Council had rejected the trained teachers assigned to certain schools in the area to circumvent the teacher shortage and this may cause a serious setback in education.

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