MEP reiterates call for undivided Sri Lanka

The Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP) at its 19th party conference unanimously passed a resolution to call upon the people to defeat separatism and terrorism whilst protecting the unitary state, the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of Sri Lanka. It also invited the JVP to enter into a friendly dialogue and programme with the United People’s Freedom Alliance. The MEP which held its party conference last week adopted and passed several resolutions which varied from the sky rocketing CoL to economic policy, media policy and foreign policy.

The party called on the Government to take immediate steps to provide the people with a ‘basket’ of essential foods and other items to meet the rising cost of living. It urged the Government to set up a committee composed of intellectuals and professionals to formulate a National Fuel Policy as goods and services were directly affected by the lack of a national fuel policy. As an incentive to small and medium scale industrialists it called on the Government to intervene and provide wide opportunities to small and medium scale industrialists in the sphere of agriculture and trade.

In as much as the Government was giving tax relief and concessions to big companies in the import of machinery, the MEP said it was also incumbent on the Government to improve and extend the existing programme of giving relief for interest on loans to the youth who were engaged in self-employment ventures, thereby giving incentives to production and initiate and open new avenues with Government assistance so that the participation of the youth in the national economy was facilitated. It said foreign exchange earned by all Sri Lankans working overseas should be fruitfully channeled.

Taking into consideration the alarming problems of the poor the party called on the Government for a more effective, productive and serious implementation of a new poverty alleviation programme. The MEP also adopted a resolution that the new electoral reforms recommended by the Electoral Reforms Select Committee of Parliament should be introduced and implemented with immediate effect in relation to Parliamentary, Provincial, local government and other election laws.

It called for reforms to establish an Executive Committee system in Parliament, not exceeding twenty five in number to strengthen democratic participation. While appreciating the setting up of a sovereign republic state of Sri Lanka on May 22, 1972 by cutting off links with the British Crown, the party called on the Government to declare this Day as National Republic Day. A resolution on the importance of having a media policy for the dissemination of news and information for a democratic form of government was also passed.