Colombo, Jan 1 (newsin.asia) – Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, in a special New Year statement on Tuesday, said he had declared 2019 as a year to fight corruption and said an extensive anti corruption program would be implemented island wide.
President Sirisena said corruption had become the bane of Sri Lanka’s development and he urged all Sri Lankan citizens to unite to achieve the noble goals of the island country.
“We need to understand our responsibilities and duties as well as the challenges before us when dealing with contemporary political and socio-economic problems,” the President said.
“We should react to hatred with love and kindness and to inhumanity with humanity. We should confront pessimism with optimism, indiscipline with discipline and social injustice with social justice. We should endure both praise and insult during our work,” the President added.
President Sirisena also underlined the need to work towards accomplishing the Sustainable Development Goals to alleviate poverty, to create a prosperous economy and to protect the environment.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, in his special New Year message said 2019 will be a challenge for Sri Lanka but the government was committed to making a better society for its future generations.
“As 2019 dawns with new hopes and goals, it is my utmost pleasure to wish all Sri Lankans a prosperous year ahead. It was a real victory for all of us to ensure sovereignty of the people’s rule in the country to begin the New Year,” Wickremesinghe said.
Thousands of Sri Lankan’s gathered at the Galle Face Green in capital Colombo on Monday night to usher in the New Year with a spectacular fireworks display. Thousands of families later visited places of worship to pray for a peaceful year ahead.
