Srilanka

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said inefficiency in the public service will end during his tenure of office.He said that all government institutions which are close to the day to day life of the public should run in an efficient and transparent manner and they should be free from corruption. &Every successive government in the country earned public wrath due to inefficiency of the public service,& he said.The President was of the view that unnecessary rules and regulations should be amended to ensure efficiency in the government service.

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa in his New Year message said the the most valuable resource in the new decade will be the drive and motivation among young people to take an active part in developing the country.The PM in his message said:&It is my belief and expectation that the young people of today, who have been motivated and inspired to make a personal and direct contribution to building a new Sri Lanka, will not look back until they have achieved their objective of a prosperous and well governed country&.The message: With the dawn of the new year, we will be entering the third decade of the 21st century. Sri Lanka enters the new decade in a context where a new President has been elected to power by the people, with an overwhelming mandate. A new Parliamentary government has also been formed and is in the process of commencing work. With this change of government the hope of a new Sri Lanka has galvanised and inspired the youth of this country.

The Government will shortly provide a relief package containing essential food items to Samurdhi beneficiaries and low income families, it was announced yesterday.The monthly relief package worth Rs 3,600 will include rice, wheat flour, sugar, dried fish and sprats among other food items. The monthly food package programme is to meet needs of low income groups affected by food price rises.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in his New Year message said the new government is determined to make 2020 the ‘Year of Prosperity&.The message reads: I am of the view that the New Year dawns at a time when the entire Sri Lankan nation is beaming with hopes for a new era in economic, political, social, cultural and technological spheres of life, in their Motherland. Hence, the new government welcomes the New Year with determination and commitment to make it the &Year of Prosperity&.