Trade unions asked to cooperate

National economy to boost in 2007

by Prasad Gunewardene

As the Government plans to achieve a growth rate of nearly eight per cent in the coming year, a number of large, small and medium scale development projects are to be launched, authoritative sources said yesterday.

Sources said the Government was fully concentrating on the need to boost the national economy in 2007 which would also increase the per capita income.

The State has also planned several self employment projects designed under several ministries where the respective would lend the helping hand to individuals to start small scale enterprises.

Media and Information Minister, Anura Priyadharshana Yapa told the "Sunday Observer" that public and private sector workers should refrain from staging wild cat strikes in the coming as it would hinder national development programs.

The Minister's observation comes in the wake of a warning from certain trade union quarters that unions are planning to stage several strikes in the new year. "All issues regarding salary anamolies or otherwise, should be resolved through discussion and not by launching strikes that affect the economy and the people", Minister Yapa stressed.

The Minister said that it was unreasonable for unions to stage strikes at this hour of a national crisis where the LTTE has commenced violence forcing the security forces to retaliate. "The Government has a duty to protect the people and the nation," he observed.Meanwhile, all politicians heading trade unions have been advised to educate trade unionists on the need to cooperate with the government at this hour of need to promote national development.

The Government has already launched the massive Weerawila Airport Development Project and several main highway development projects which costs billions of rupees in investment.

The economy has shown a significant growth in agricultural, industrial and service sectors, for the third quarter.

The increase in total agriculture sector was by 5.7% while the sub sector of total industry grew by 7.9%. In addition, the growth in the total services sub sector grown up to 7.6% in the third quarter.

The four main reasons for the 1.7% increase in the growth rate in the GDP for the third quarter, are the introduction of favourable Government economic policies, the prevailed weather conditions during the first three months, according to Census and Statistics Department.

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