Crash program to expedite full implementation of official language policy in Sri Lanka

[Harold Schiffman]

Sri Lankan Daily News and Reports -
  http://www.colombopage.com/archive/November25130158JV.html

* The Policy Statement (Throne Speech) of President Mahinda Rajapaksa
Friday, November 25, 2005, 13:01 GMT, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

Nov 25, Colombo: The Policy Statement (Throne Speech) of President Mahinda
Rajapaksa, made at the Opening of the New Session of Parliament on 25 November,
2005.

Honourable Members of Parliament,

As the fifth Executive President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri
Lanka, I am ready to present before the honourable members my Government÷Õ
vision for the future. At this moment an important event from the past comes to
my mind. The world÷Õ first woman Prime Minister too came from a small Parliament
such as ours. In 1970 I had the privilege of delivering the vote of thanks after
that great national leader, Madam Sirimavo Bandaranaike, made her Throne Speech
or policy statement. I still remember the sentiments I felt at the time as the
youngest MP in the House. I realized then that every word a Head of State
utters reflects public policy. Today I have been given the opportunity of
making the most important statement on public policy. Hence I consider it my
duty to honor all the past leaders from whom we have inherited progressive
politics. Likewise I consider it my duty to pay tribute to the millions of
people of this country who elected me President, defeating all vicious attempts
to project distorted images through the media and rouse religious divisions for
which purposes unlimited amounts of money were spent.

I had no secret pact or agreement with the people of this country. There were no
conditions between us. The only conditions were to build a new Sri Lanka and to
be honest. On the other hand I do not consider the votes that my good friend,
Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, received as votes cast against me.

Everyone accepts that the recently concluded Presidential Election was a very
free and peaceful election. It should be considered an important milestone in
our journey to create a healthy political culture.

The Presidential Election now is over. As I said in my swearing-in speech, I am
not working for any one party, one group or religion. I therefore wish to state
that I am the leader, servant and friend of all of you, since it my policy to
build a new democratic state without dragging the aforesaid differences and
complexities into the administration. First of all I must make it clear that I
do not consider my rival in the Presidential Election, the Honourable
Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, and his party as enemies of my new
Government. I strongly believe that we should forget whatever ill feelings of
pain of mind between our two parties during the Presidential Election, we
should forget for the sake of the people of this country. I expect the
Opposition÷Õ cooperation for our Government in implementing the plans outlined
in my policy statement. Likewise I wish to state that our Government will
accept the Opposition÷Õ fair and constructive criticism.

Our overall objective in the Presidential Election was to ensure the victory of
our policy. Today the majority of people in this country have endorsed that
policy. It has emerged victorious by the power of universal franchise, which is
a part of people÷Õ sovereignty. It is to protect the country without dividing or
breaking up this country. It is to free this land from poverty, underdevelopment
and backwardness and build this country. Our policy is to build an entirely new
Sri Lanka. I now preparing to make before the House the official statement
making this policy ?which until now was only an election manifesto ?this
country÷Õ public policy.

01. Peace with dignity in an undivided country

My Government will give the highest priority to launch a new peace process to
usher in a lasting peace through a political solution to the country÷Õ national
question. Our method is discussion instead of war. We are aware that such
discussions are not simple and easy. Yet it is the only way to peace. I wish to
state here that my Government is ready to have direct talks with the Liberation
Tigers of Tamil Eelam. The political solution to a lasting peace should be
based on a consensus reached through discussions among all parties linked to
the problem and it should receive the approval of majority of the people of
this country. Our policy for reaching such a consensus is as follows:

In order to realize a lasting peace by solving the national crisis, we propose
to build a new social democratic state that upholds political pluralism [and]
the aspirations and rights of all sections of our society. Based on that
principle we will pursue the following policy to reach a national consensus for
peace with dignity.

i. Starting an open and transparent peace process.

The current Ceasefire Agreement will be revised to ensure the protection of
human rights, prevent recruitment of children for war, safeguard national
security, prevent terrorist acts, pave the way to rebuild lives that were
shattered by war and the tsunami in the Northern and Eastern Provinces and
introduce an open and transparent ceasefire monitoring machinery.

The failure of the United Front Government÷Õ peace efforts was the result of the
peace talks being confined only to the Government and the LTTE. Instead of such
an unsuccessful bipartisan approach there will be a new peace process in which
all parties involved in the crisis can participate.

1. An open and sincere invitation will be given to the country÷Õ main Opposition
to participate in such a process.

2. Special attention will be paid ensure Muslim people÷Õ representation in peace
talks.

3. The peace process will be continued openly and transparently to reach a broad
consensus within a definite time frame.

4. The facilitation and mediation extended by the United Nations and other such
organizations that support peace in Sri Lanka, all friendly countries, the
international community, India and other regional states will be properly
organized and utilized to strengthen the peace process.

ii. Creation of a government infrastructure that will safeguard Sri Lanka÷Õ
sovereignty, territorial integrity, unitary nature of the state and the
people÷Õ national identity with the participation of all sections of our
society as positive shareholders in a pluralistic system for the maximum
devolution of power within an undivided sovereign democratic republic.

Instead of the concepts of traditional homelands and self-determination that
allow an ethnic group to break away from the Republic of Sri Lanka, steps will
be taken to ensure for all communities, including Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim,
Burgher and Malay, the freedom to exercise all the rights enshrined in the
Constitution - including the right to live in any part of Sri Lanka on the
grounds that the entire territory is the homeland of all communities.

All citizens will be equal before the law and no citizens will be discriminated
on account of ethnicity, caste, religion, sex, political beliefs or place of
birth.

Steps will be taken to ensure freedom of conscience, religious freedom including
the right of all citizens to embrace any religion or faith.

Appointment of a Commission to re-demarcate Secretarial Divisions, District and
Provincial boundaries to suit new socioeconomic, environmental and political
requirements for the establishment of grassroots level democratic people÷Õ
representative organizations that will help all citizens to share the benefits
of the country÷Õ mineral, water, land, oceanic and other natural resources,
harbours, the beaches and human resources, to protect ethnic rights, accelerate
rural development, secure the participation of all communities in the
development process and launch large-scale development projects.

Public participation in the peace process will be encouraged to reach a broad
national consensus through a series of open discussions based on the above
points while the country÷Õ political parties, pressure groups, voluntary
organizations, religious organizations and the media will be invited to
contribute to a culture of peace.

Constitutional reforms will be proposed and approved according to proper legal
procedures in order to include the objectives reached through a broad consensus
in the state infrastructure.

iii. Rebuilding of lives affected by war and tsunami in the North and East will
be parallel to the peace process and will be utilized to build up confidence
[among] all communities that support peace.

A new Tsunami Reconstruction administrative infrastructure that will coordinate
with the Central Government, provincial councils, pradeshiya sabhas, political
parties and voluntary organizations will be introduced in place of the
controversial P-TOMS which is now before the courts. This new setup will be
linked to öËaya Lanka? the Government÷Õ overall tsunami reconstruction and
rehabilitation program.

New projects will be introduced in the North and East to accelerate the
rehabilitation and reconstruction process in the two provinces.

A new Authority, named Jaathika Saviya, will be set up to resettle with no
discrimination all people displaced by war in their hometowns and ensure for
them a livelihood. Each resettled family will be initially paid Rs. 150,000 and
Rs. 250,000 for a permanent house. Likewise we hope to provide tax money to all
those lost houses and property due to the establishment of High Security Zones.

Security forces will be ordered to do security checks without causing harassment
or embarrassment to anyone. Special units will be set up in all police stations
to enable to people to make complaints in their own language without fear or
suspicion. A three-year crash program will be launched to expedite the full
implementation of the official language policy in police stations, government
offices and other public places and minimize obstacles that Tamil-speaking
people face when dealing with the state organizations.

Realistic reforms will be done to make it clear at all state functions that Sri
Lanka belongs to all of its citizens.

Steps will be taken to build the intellectual, moral and spiritual environment
required for building peace and considering it as a collective effort rather
than a miracle or the work of one man or political party.

02. Constitutional reforms

A Constitutional Assembly will be set up if Constitutional reforms are needed
for a political solution to secure peace.

This Government has recognized many areas where Constitutional reforms are
needed. Changing the Constitution to secure the required balance between
stability and representing public opinion is among the most important. Our
manifesto has also proposed the abolishment of the Executive Presidency. For
this purpose Constitutional reform based on a broad consensus is required.
Until then our Government hopes to introduce Constitutional reforms by which
the President will be officially answerable to Parliament. The powers of
Ministerial and Working Committees will be increased with Parliamentary
approval to ensure the efficient participation of Government and Opposition MPs
in state administration. Steps will be taken to include the Charter of Human
Rights in the Constitution to ensure to protection of social, cultural,
political, economic and civil rights of all Sri Lankans on an equal basis
without discrimination in accordance with the UN charter and international
conventions.

03. Rule of Law, good administration and government service

My Government is working towards building a disciplined society by strengthening
the Rule of Law. We will not leave room for anyone to beak the law by using
political or financial power or privileges. We will give priority to stamp out
bribery and corruption and empower new agencies for this purpose. We will
introduce reforms to eliminate bureaucratic attitudes and make the state
administrative service an exemplary public service. Steps will be taken to run
all ministries, departments, corporations and boards without unnecessary
expenditure. The salaries and allowances of public servants will be raised in
accordance with the pledges made in the Presidential Election Manifesto. New
technology, improvement of human resources and means to increase productivity
will be introduced to extensively reform the public service to meet today÷Õ
requirements. Law enforcement agencies like the police, the judiciary and the
prisons will be strengthened with better facilities and a process of broad
legal reforms will be introduced to ensure efficiency and transparency in the
criminal justice system. All these will be aimed at making my Government follow
a strong policy of righteous rule.

04. Legislature

My Government÷Õ policy is to fully safeguard the dignity of the Parliament,
which is the supreme institution that drafts the laws of the country. We are
aware that in the recent past there were unfortunate incidents that affected
the dignity and honour of the Parliament. If more laws are required to uphold
the dignity of this House and safeguard the powers and privileges of its
members, my Government will not hesitate to introduce them. But laws and
regulations alone will not protect the dignity of this institution. I hope that
the Hon. Speaker and all of you will work in unity and harmony to make the
Parliament reflect the features of a developed democracy.

05. A responsible society

Our Government will give full protection to religious freedom. The Government
will meet all its responsibilities towards all religions while safeguarding the
special place accorded to Buddhism under the Constitution. Our Government
requests religious dignitaries to give the Government the necessary assistance
to make law-abiding civilized citizens of high morals via the teachings of the
noble founders of different religions. My Government will stand for building a
network where the state, the citizenry and the market will be answerable to
each other.

06. Overall economic policy

My Government will work towards build a new economy that ensures social justice,
opens up opportunities for individual progress and even totally pave the way for
this economically strong state in the community of nations. Our Government÷Õ aim
is to boost new local and foreign investment to achieve speedy progress and
build a strong economy. All the salient features of the free market system will
be absorbed into the system for this purpose.

Government expenditure will be directed towards areas of economic importance to
ensure maximum benefits that fire the national economy. We will take steps to
reduce the budget gap to a bearable level through an efficient expenditure
management system. The taxation system too would be simplified.

07. Agriculture

The farmer faces untold suffering due to water scarcity, land shortage, crop
devastation and inability to sell his produce. We have identified that
improving farming and agriculture is a vital aspect in the country÷Õ
development. While the country÷Õ water resources belong to natives, we will
initiate a giant development scheme whereby major rivers and reservoirs and
waterways will be linked by a national irrigation system and dry land from
North to South will be turned to wet zones. Under this scheme the 10,000
reservoir (tank) project will be completed and steps will be taken to launch
multiple development projects associated with the Yuma Oya, North Central Mahan
Ella, Demure Oya, Manik River, Kumbukkan Oya, Yan Oya, Heda Oya, Kirama Oya and
Oorawa. My Government hopes to deal with the shortage of cultivable land
through a national policy. Initially we will distribute 100,000 blocks of land
among farmer families without land to cultivate. Farmers who have already been
provided with state land will be given the legal right to own them. We will
also provide land to the descendants of farmers in the Mahaweli scheme and the
agricultural colonies. We hope to achieve major progress in the cultivation of
paddy and other food crops. Essential chemical fertilizer will be sold at a
price of Rs. 350 per bag of 45 kilos. By this we hope to make it an investment
in improving agriculture in the country rather than providing a mere subsidy.

We will ensure a guaranteed price for paddy, establish paddy-purchasing centers,
repair dilapidated small and medium scale rice mills and launch a rice
processing village project to boost agriculture and bring new prosperity to
farmers.

We will take steps to revise the Agrarian Reform Act while providing facilities
to develop the cultivation of fruits and minor export crops and other
agricultural products to provide them with an overseas market.

We will introduce a national plan to revive the plantation economy involving
tea, rubber and coconut. Steps will be taken to change the unfortunate
situation facing major plantations and the relevant ministries will work to
inject lifeblood to this industry including tea smallholdings. A special
program will be activated to increase milk production and parallel to this, the
marketing and consumption of fresh milk will be encouraged.

08. Fisheries

Although sea and rich inland reservoirs and waterways surround the country, the
fishery industry is still stagnating. My Government in general and myself in
particular are keenly interested in this area. When I was Fisheries Minister I
established the Sagara University in the hope of making Sri Lanka reach the
world÷Õ highest position in fisheries products. We will strengthen the Coast
Guard to protect aquatic resources and provide within a short time all the
assistance necessary to rebuild the lives of fishing families affected by the
tsunami. Within three years we will provide 500 fishing craft under an easy
payment scheme. Fishing nets and other implements will also be provided under a
similar scheme. Fishery harbours and anchorages will be developed and a fuel
subsidy will be given to fishermen. Steps will also be taken to open 150 new
farms to breed salt water and fresh water prawns while canning factories will
be established in the vicinity of the main fishery harbours.

09. Industrial development

I wish to inform the Hon. Members of the House that my Government will take
immediate steps to accelerate industrial progress. For this purpose 12 new
investment promotion zones covering the entire island will be established.
Three hundred new factories will be built and each Secretarial Division will
get one factory.

Our Government hopes to make medium- and small-scale industries the backbone of
our economy. For this purpose the relevant ministries will introduce special
plans and relevant bank services will be developed. To encourage investors we
have proposed the launching of the Lanka Puthra Banking Service.

Our Government hopes to make use of our good international relations to solve
the problems that the apparel industry is currently facing. To increase the
value of apparel exports we hope to establish three textile zones and will pay
constant attention to the health and other welfare requirements of those
employed in the apparel industry.

10. Construction

Our Government hopes to make a massive transformation in the area of
construction. We plan to launch a major housing development and urban
development scheme. Our plans include other large-scale constructions relevant
to an expanding economy. We will make the Construction Training and Development
Institute an Authority while introducing special banking and monetary services
to overcome the lack of capital for these projects.

11. Tourism industry

My Government÷Õ aim is to bring new life to the tourism industry, which is a
major foreign exchange earner for this country. Our target is to attract 1.5
million foreign tourists to this country by 2010 and we are planning to
organize the industry accordingly. Special attractive tourist zones will be set
up in Hambantota, Kalpitiya, [and] Arugam Bay.

12. Power

During my six-year term I will direct my Government to overcome the energy
crisis. We will build new power stations according to Electricity Board plans
and launch the öÑower for All?program, to provide power to villages that so far
had no electricity. We will ensure the people÷Õ ownership of the CEB and the
Petroleum Corporation and see that the public will benefit from the exploration
of oil deposits off Sri Lanka÷Õ coast, through the ministry specially set up for
the purpose.

13. Transport

Transport too has become a national crisis in our country. We will develop our
railway network and build a number of new rail tracks. You are already aware
that a new ministry has already been set up for this purpose. We will
strengthen the Ceylon Transport Board and make it Sri Lanka÷Õ proud national
transport service by developing bus depots and providing them with more buses.
We will also give priority to the numerous problems facing the private bus
service. Steps will be taken to reorganize the National Transport Commission
and streamline timetables, passenger safety, rural and school bus services and
night services. Plans have also been drawn up to build new expressways parallel
to the improvement of railways.

14. Information technology

We believe that Sri Lanka, with its ancient heritage of having been a centre of
knowledge in Asia and considering its high literacy rate and its talented human
resources, should undergo speedy development in the area of information
technology . We shall therefore formulate the necessary policies and legal and
institutional backgrounds required to achieve this objective in the area of
mass communication. We hope to expand computer knowledge and technology
countrywide by taking computer technology to the village under the Nenasala
Program. Through this project we expect to develop Sri Lanka as a regional
center in the Asian information network.

15. Health services

It is our responsibility to protect the free health service and the Government
will guarantee the right of every citizen to receive a good health service. The
hospital system will be developed and steps will be taken to improve disease
control methods and health education. More doctors and nurses will be recruited
and their services will be given to the rural sector. We will also implement the
Senaka Bibile drugs policy.

16. Education

A theme in our Presidential Election campaign was to build a country suitable
for children. We will plan education, higher education and vocational training
on a national scale to help our children and youth to improve their talents and
knowledge and do everything possible to brighten the lives of our future
generation.

I recall here what the great Chinese philosopher Confucius said thousands of
years ago:

øŒf you are planning for a year grow paddy.
If you are planning for ten years plant trees.
If you are planning for a century educate people.?

If we are build our country we should look at this century in which we live and
make our national plans accordingly. It is with such a broad vision that we
should formulate education policies. I appeal to this august assembly not to
consider our interventions for the sake of education as relief assistance but
as investments for the sake of the country.

During the recent election campaign I was able to read the UNP÷Õ election
manifesto. I wish to state sincerely that in their manifesto there were several
valuable points that should be appreciated. Among them the concept öÆnglish For
All?on page 35 drew my attention. I wish to inform you that I hope to implement
the concept with some revisions while giving you members of the main Opposition
the credit for it. I wish to remind that according to Mahinda Chintanaya
political colours cannot measure good things.

We will fully safeguard the right to free education. We will take steps to teach
the mother tongue ?Sinhala and Tamil ?and English to every child. Every child
will be provided with a free midday meal. We shall improve laboratory, language
teaching, computer, library, sports and other facilities in all Maha Vidyalayas
and other government schools throughout the country. We will raise 325 schools
to the highest level, selecting one school from each Secretarial Division.
Education service will be depoliticised and a number of steps will be taken for
the welfare of teachers and employees in the educational administrative service.
One challenge to provide higher education to all those is the advanced level. I
wish to state the Government will accept the challenge. We will increase the
number of university admissions and improve facilities in the universities. We
will also raise the Mahapola and student allowance by Rs. 500. We will also
take steps to introduce changes in the vocational training under a life skills
program. We shall increase training opportunities in the state sector from
60,000 to 100,000 to accommodate school leavers. One hundred more vocational
training centers will be set up [and] 500 community schools will be established
under the Vocational Training Authority to increase livelihood opportunities.

17. Rising again after the tsunami

Our Government has found the reasons for the slow progress in rebuilding houses
and infrastructure facilities destroyed in the tsunami. I am happy to inform
the Honourable Members of the House that my Government will overcome this
challenge and launch a giant development and reconstruction scheme within 2006
to rebuild the lives of those affected by the tsunami in Sri Lanka÷Õ coastal
areas. I am happy to inform that I took the decision at my first Cabinet
meeting to implement this program thorough the Reconstruction and Development
Authority, which functions under the President÷Õ direct supervision.

18. Provincial development

We will also launch a number of special programs targeting the development of
the different provinces, districts and other areas in addition to the common
national program. These comprise the Northern Rehabilitation and Reconstruction
Program, Negenahira Nawodaya, Senakadala Nawodaya, Ruhunu Arunaloyaka, Rajarata
Nawodaya, Wayamba Punarjeewanaya, Pubudamu Wellassa and New Life for
Plantations.

19. Social development

Eradicating poverty

We are happy about the successes that our Samurdhi Movement achieved so far in
overcoming poverty in families. Hence we are confident the Samurdhi program can
meet future challenges and therefore will give it a further boost to achieve its
objectives. We will increase Samurdhi allowances by 50 percent. Parallel to it
we will launch projects that will help to increase the monthly income of
Samurdhi recipients up to Rs. 5000. I have decided to increase the allowance of
Rs. 5000 given to a low-income family in the case of death up to Rs. 10,000 with
effect from the first week of December. Similarly the allowances paid in the
case of child birth and the scholarship scheme meant for children of such
families will become effective immediately. Likewise we shall provide relief
assistance in the form of milk powder to reduce cost of living burdens of such
families, a special allowance for government employees and relief in the
payment of water, electricity and fuel bills, nutrients for pregnant mothers,
[and] an allowance of Rs. 200 per month for poor families to purchase milk for
children up to year five.

Houses

My Government÷Õ aim is to provide a house for every person who does not own a
house. To reach that objective we are taking several steps. We shall provide
100,000 blocks of land for those who want to build houses but cannot do so
because they do not own any land. For state employees in urban areas we will
launch four projects to build flats. For shanty dwellers in urban areas we will
build 65,000 new houses. There will also be a commercial housing scheme coming
under easy payment schemes. At the rural level we will build 25 houses every
year in every village.

Village building

A weakness in state policy for a number of years was to ignore the village. Our
Government÷Õ policy will be to first build the village in order to develop the
country. Accordingly, we are introducing the Gama Neguma program with the broad
objective of developing every village in the country with all facilities. Our
plan will be as follows:


Electricity for every village that has no power
A public telephone service for every village
Sufficient supply of drinking water
Irrigated water for cultivation
Rural approach roads via Maga Neguma
Infrastructure development
Rural schools with human and material resources
Health centre
Cooperative store to provide consumer items at low cost
Paddy store, fertilizer store and rice mill
Factory to provide employment
Pre-school with playground
Community Hall and sports ground
People÷Õ Committee
People÷Õ Committee Secretariat
Nenasala Computer Centre
Forest area
Public cemetery.

My Government÷Õ aim is to usher in a new era in rural development in the decade
starting in 2006 by building model villages with all or many of the above
features.

We shall also launch programs with the assistance of law enforcement agencies,
schools, religious centers and community organizations to eradicate
drunkenness, gambling, and drug addiction from our villages. I will take every
possible step to eradicate the drug menace by the end of my first year.

Employment

A major [objective] of our overall economic policy is to provide employment to
our youth who are either jobless or underemployed. In this connection we will
be launching a special program called Young Diriya. While filling all state
sector vacancies we will work out a plan to provide employment to 10,000
graduates every year. We will direct every ministry in my Government to
generate employment in the state sector, the private sector, foreign service
and the sphere of self-employment.

20. Mass media, literature and culture

The basis of our information, mass media and cultural policy will be to uphold
people÷Õ right to receive accurate information and ensure the broad
participation of the mass media in achieving the country÷Õ social, cultural and
economic goals. I wish that the Information and Media Ministry of our Government
will be making a special contribution to the progress of media personnel, media
organizations and the media industry. We shall develop our cultural policy to
strengthen the citizen÷Õ cultural life by developing our language and
literature and safeguarding our ancient values.

21. Sports

I shall work towards ensuring the physical and mental health of our youth and
bring our sportsmen and sportswomen to international levels by introducing a
new national sports policy. A special program will worked out to provide sports
facilities including an indoor stadium to every district and improve sports from
the village level.

22. Foreign policy

In the area of foreign policy, I must begin by saying that I intend to ensure
the continuity of the foreign policy of the UPFA Government. I will naturally
emphasize areas where Sri Lanka÷Õ immediate and compelling national interests
are evident.

In its broadest sense, we will follow a foreign policy of friendship with all
and enmity towards none. We will build on our solid and very close bilateral
relationships with our immediate neighbors in the sub-region, as well as our
friends in Asia. We will further strengthen out relations with the rest of the
world. Sri Lanka will continue to be a consensus builder in the international
arena in keeping with the long-standing tradition of Sri Lankan diplomacy. To
this end we will be guided by the principles espoused by the Non-Aligned
Movement and the developing countries where these principles and our national
interests converge.

My personal commitment as a human rights campaigner at the grassroots level
makes me accord priority to the promotion and protection of human rights in our
international endeavors. I hope to build upon a very positive and proactive role
played by Sri Lanka in promoting human rights. We will do this through
international cooperation, not through confrontation. Greater efforts will be
made to widen and deepen the economic content of our foreign policy efforts and
foreign relations activities, as already initiated by the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs under the late Hon. Lakshman Kadirgamar. In order to achieve the 8
percent economic growth rate envisioned by the Mahinda Chintanaya, I intend to
mobilize the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and our Missions abroad to attract
sufficient levels of foreign direct investments (FDIs) under this programme. We
can thus make the foreign relations effort immediately relevant to the people of
this country through socioeconomic development. We will continue to play an
active role in the United Nations and other multilateral bodies as well as
sub-regional and regional forums. We will be constructive and creative in
contributing to efforts at regional and multilateral levels, to support
national activities for economic development, humanitarian assistance, [and]
conflict resolution, whether these are intra-state or inter-state. I also
propose to very strongly pursue and promote broad bipartisan support for our
foreign policy activities, which have been the hallmark of our foreign
relations since independence.

23. Policy Feed Back Council

We plan to introduce a new subject to Sri Lanka÷Õ public policy. It is policy
feedback. We shall appoint an all-powerful commission called the Policy Feed
Back Council, operating under the President÷Õ direct supervision. The
commission÷Õ task will be to decide annual targets in implementing different
state policy programs, reviewing their progress, studying setbacks and
recommending necessary solutions.

My Government is not a talking Government but a working Government. On the day I
was sworn in as President I appealed to my fellow citizens thus:

Mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters: Work for the welfare
of the country. Do your duty. Work with determination. Our country will develop
through work. When the country progresses, you too will progress.

Honorable Members, it goes without saying that the office of the President,
which I took over, and my Government will face numerous challenges. In a way
politics means accepting challenges and facing them fearlessly. I wish to state
here that I along with members of my Cabinet, other Ministers and MPs are ready
to accept any challenges. As I stressed over and over during the recent
election campaign, our Government is a regime that works for the welfare of
children. Our Government is formulating policies to build a bright future for
our children. Last 17th saw the dawn of a common people÷Õ era in our country.
The flowers that will blossom in that dawn are our future generation. Hence I
hope that you as members of this Supreme Public Institution will extend your
maximum support to my Government. In conclusion I wish you all will have the
thoughts, strength and courage to build a new Sri Lanka.

May the blessings of the Triple Gem be with you. God bless you.