• New Year on spiritual note
• Private sector to run highways
• Government to bring in changes to the Package
• What a stinging haul!
• PA to undertake radical changes
• Proposals for fair polls
• All set for battle of the big bug
• Casino war on the cards
• No serious damage to Town Hall, says CMC
• Post-polls incidents on both sides
• Mass polls rigging, say small parties
• Mixed bag in the East
• Poll marred by serious violations-CMEV
• EPDP says Tamil vote was vital
• Kudos for Kamburupitiya
• Marginal increase in spoilt votes
• Sympathy and the minority vote
• UNP blasts coverage of the blasts
• OPA polls ready next month
• Agitation for clean polls
• The dawn of the Asian millennium
• CBK and Ranil face new dilemmas - THE PRESIDENCY

New Year on spiritual note

By Ayesha R. Rafiq

With the New Year just five days away, the government is taking steps to ensure that people are given an opportunity to begin the era on a religious note.

The Government is sponsoring religious ceremonies all over the country while Buddhist prelates and leaders of other religions will address the nation on television and radio. Several private organisations will also hold religious ceremonies as well as new year breakfasts for their employees.

Meanwhile street hawkers selling cards and firecrackers are optimistic that this year they are set to make a larger than usual profit as the entire country seems to be getting ready to see the millennium in with a literal bang, and card sales booming like never before despite the deepening economic slump.

Director of the National Hospital Dr. H. Weerasinghe however cautioned the public to use firecrackers carefully, especially on streets where many people could be hurt, and advised adult supervision for youngsters lighting firecrackers, as judging from past experiences it is mostly youngsters who end up in hospital on 31st night with serious injuries. Hotels meanwhile are ready for the crowds on 31st night with tickets priced at Rs. 4000 per head at the lowest having being sold out long ago.

Several hotels have also stockpiled champagne and other liquor, in addition to importing firecrackers for what they promise to be magnificent firecracker shows as the new millennium dawns.

Economic plans for next year

Private sector to run highways

The Government is looking for avenues to attract more foreign investment to improve the economy next year.

As a first step the Government is planning to discuss with investors the fields they want to explore and give them concessions.

PA General Secretary D M Jayaratne told The Sunday Times the present 5% economic growth would show an increase next year.

"We want the private sector to get involved in development work. We have already studied the areas which need to be developed and where the private sector can get involved. We want to lease out the highways to the private sector so that they will be developed and maintained," he said. He said the Government was planning to provide electricity to all villages by next year.

"We are hoping to introduce modern technology for farmers so that productivity will increase and they will be able to cut down on waste. Farmers will be given a subsidy of Rs. 55,000 to cultivate one acre. Already we have 250,000 farmer applicants and if there are more the Treasury will provide the funds.

There will be more Samurdhi beneficiaries by next year,'' he said.

Government to bring in changes to the Package

By Shelani de Silva

The Government is to bring in changes to the devolution package after discussing it with the PA Constituent parties, a senior Cabinet minister told The Sunday Times.

The government is determined to present the political package in parliament and will look for support from the constituent parties.

He told The Sunday Times that the political package needed changes taking into consideration the outcome of the presidential polls.

Meanwhile, the Government is following a simultaneous approach to solve the ethnic issue.

The Government has decided to win the confidence of the Tamil people while continuing with the war strategy.

PA General Secretary D M Jayaratne told The Sunday Times that having discussions with the LTTE just after the presidential polls is unlikely but the Government will not give up the idea.

"It is difficult to trust the LTTE. We tried it once but all attempts failed. If we are going for talks there has to be a renouncing of violence. The government will carry on an international campaign to let the Tamil people know that they can trust us and we will help them. This message has to be conveyed to all the LTTE sympathisers so that the funds will stop," he said.

Meanwhile the Government is likely to go for a referendum early next year if the main Opposition UNP refused to support the change in constitution.

The Government decided to go for a referendum after it received the people's mandate at the Presidential polls.

Mr. Jayaratne said that changes would be brought to the constitution and the government would not seek a third party support.

What a stinging haul!

Customs officers at the BIA took into custody a haul of 50 venomous hornets together with 50000 Fallopian type pests illegally imported from Norway to a Norwegian consignee resident at Sitha-Eliya.

The creepy contraband is said to be valued at Rs. 170,000. The Norwegian is said to be running a farm here.

He had admitted to the Customs that a previous consignment which had been similar, and had produced good results was instrumental in the repetition of the import.

The haul was confiscated on detection. The consignee was fined Rs. 16,000. The seized items are lying with the customs pending a decision by Wild Life officials whether the haul is to be returned to sender or destroyed.

Initial investigations had revealed that the contraband has been allowed here by an official in the Agriculture department.

PA to undertake radical changes

By Dilrukshi Handunnetti

The ruling Peoples' Alliance will undergo a radical change with over 100 new organizers replacing the old guard and ineffective organizers, government sources said.

Accordingly, the PA has already short listed some organizers to be replaced by young organizers, some being new entrants to politics.

Many new organizers are to be either from local bodies or provincial councils who have been dubbed as 'pro-devolution'.

The evaluation of organisers, according to the source, has been completed.

Meanwhile, sources confirmed that despite the recent presidential victory, the government was not too keen on holding yet another election and was more keen on completing some of the projects undertaken during the last five years.

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