Towards economic prosperity

The guiding principle of President Mahinda Rajapaksa's second term as the Head of State is to drive Sri Lanka towards economic prosperity and strengthen ethnic harmony.

During the first four years in office, under his inspiring leadership the Security Forces eradicated terrorism and freed the entire country from LTTE terror. Despite allocating billions of rupees to finance the battle against terrorism, the President and his Government embarked on many development projects.

For the first time in over three decades, Sri Lanka celebrated her independence in an undivided country sans terrorism. Thursday's Independence Day ceremony in Kandy was unique and memorable - a proud nation, Sri Lanka became the first country to eradicate terrorism.

It's exactly 62 years since we gained independence from the British. This year's independence celebrations are a significant milestone in our nation's history after the Security Forces demolished the LTTE and liberated the Eastern and Northern Provinces from the clutches of the Tigers.

Time and again we have proved that we are a nation with a proud history and would not dance the fandango round any interested outside elements. Although we are a developing nation, we have a rich culture and heritage which is second to none.

President Rajapaksa has been instrumental in developing a new thinking, a greater feeling for our country and nation. As a nation we would by no means compromise our culture, values or dignity. The right political leadership, coupled with the steadfast commitment of our brave Security Forces, have created a conducive atmosphere under which all of us could feel proud and stand tall as one nation.

Never before in the recent past have we felt so proud of our nation. The recent military successes in the battle against terrorism have made all of us feel strong, determined and proud. Though most Governments which ruled the country earlier either bowed to foreign pressure or made a business out of the war, President Rajapaksa has proved himself a true patriot and a true son of the soil. This has enabled all citizens - Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims and Burghers to hold their heads high.

Shortcomings have been rectified and national security has always been given top priority. The Government has never compromised on matters relating to the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity. This has been the hallmark of the success and a new vision has been given to the Security Forces. This has not only boosted the morale of the Security Forces but also helped the public to unite in peace.

Many of our illustrious leaders played invincible roles in Sri Lanka's freedom struggle. They belonged to all communities and made huge sacrifices in liberating our beautiful island and won freedom after 443 years of Portuguese, Dutch and British rule. Not only the Sinhalese but also Tamil and Muslim leaders also made laudable contributions towards our independence.

The time is now opportune to make it even more meaningful by uniting after the conclusion of Sri Lanka's successful battle against terrorism. Having succeeded in uniting the territory, President Rajapaksa is now entrusted with the task of uniting the hearts of all sections of our people. He has willingly taken on the noble task of creating peace among all communities in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka is moving towards new horizons and is gradually enjoying the benefits with the end of the war which impacted on the country's economy. Since the Government embarked on many infrastructure development projects since 2006, Sri Lanka is on the right track towards economic development.

Infrastructure was speedily built whilst the war was being waged and Sri Lanka's rating on its income level has been upgraded from lower income to middle income group as the country's per capita income has gone beyond the USD 2,000 mark. Sri Lanka's per capita income has almost doubled during the past four years under President Rajapaksa.

The President will now use the fresh mandate he obtained to re-establish all that was lost for the past 30 years due to the war. Sri Lanka which fell back due to the war needs to be advanced swiftly.

Peace alone will not elevate Sri Lanka to economic prosperity. The President's target is to ensure that Sri Lanka's per capita income doubles to USD 4,000 by the next six years. It is the duty of all patriotic citizens to work with indefatigable zeal to reach that goal. To quote the President, an efficient, advanced nation needs to be built to replace a country which is lazy, lethargic and lacks energy.

As enunciated in the Mahinda Chinthana , Sri Lanka could be made a centre of marine, aviation, commercial, energy and knowledge. Going by the progress we have made so far, that target is within reach.

What matters most is to bring the benefits of these five great economic forces together in the near future to close the chapter of a bitter era. As the President stressed in his Independence Day Address to the Nation, the Government plans to give more opportunities to artistes, authors and musicians so that their creativity could be tapped for the betterment of the society.

His aim is to make Sri Lanka a country where people would return, instead of leaving for fear of their lives or due to poverty. To achieve that, we must overcome bureaucratic hurdles on the path to economic development.

As the President emphasised we have to build a society where our sons and daughters could promote knowledge and good values. It is for our children that we built this nation to be the pride of Asia. Let us sink various differences and work as one to be partners of a successful nation. Sri Lanka's 62nd Independence coincides with the birthday of the Sunday Observer , which celebrated its 82nd anniversary on February 4. Sri Lanka's English newspaper with the largest circulation was founded 20 years before the country gained independence from British colonial rule - February 4, 1928. Over the years, the Sunday Observer has gone from strength to strength to be the most sought after English newspaper in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka's flagship English newspaper has served many generations. It has made a significant contribution to the socio-economic development in the pre and post-independence eras. Millions of readers the world over have contributed their mite to this huge success.