"Govt. Ready to Face Any Situation"- PM

(December, 17, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian)Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Ratnasiri Wickramanayake stated that the vote on the third reading of the Budget -2008 was a crucial moment for the country. He said that the main opposition was anticipating a significant political upheaval but the Government had been ready to face any situation.

The Prime Minister made these remarks at the handing over ceremony of the newly constructed self- contained houses to the 'recipients' at the Hampton Village in Ahangama on Saturday (15).

"The political tsunami came and subsided and the country was saved from destruction. The Government was carrying on a programme to completely eradicate terrorism. If a wrong decision had been taken on the 14 th it would have been for the benefit of the terrorists who are now partially paralysed. This was what the main opposition was aiming at" he said.

The Prime Minister said that the Government was determined to see an end to terrorism and liberate the people.

Speaking on this occasion Dr. Upali Wickrama- Sekara said that the 'Hampton Village was his own creation with the support of UK and the people here. He called upon those present to create more villages of this nature in the interest of the needy.

"'Hampton Village' would be a lasting monument for the tsunami victims," he said.

Ven. Weligama Gnanarathne Thero, Ministers Hemakumara Nanayakkara and Gamini Lokuge, British High Commissioner Dominic Chilcott, representatives of the Sri Lanka and England Cricket Teams, President of the Buddhist Congress and many other distinguished guests were present on the occasion.