Business Today Sri Lanka - December 2004

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Mangala Samaraweera is the current Minister of Information, Media, Ports, and Aviation, Deputy Minister of Education, and one of the principal promoters of the alliance between the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP). He stresses the pressing need for electoral reforms, without which he feels the country cannot progress, the UPFA's attempts at cohabitation with the United National Party (UNP), the steps being taken to ensure the implementation of the Budget 2005, and the development work being done by his ministries.
Wimal Weerawansa, the Propaganda Secretary of the JVP and leader of the JVP Parliamentary Group, is of the view that this is a budget with an important and welcome change from the past. Not only has it sought to satisfy the pressing needs of the people, but it has succeeded in proving the it is possible to prepare budgets.
The maiden budget of the United Peoples' Freedom Alliance (UPFA), backed by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), was presented in Parliament. The United National Party (UNP) MP, Bandula Gunawardene, the former Deputy Minister of Finance, takes a critical look at the Budget 2005 and its implications on the Sri Lankan economy.
Although the chairman of one of Sri Lanka's largest and most renowned advertising agencies, Phoenix O&M, Irvin Weerakody, is a low-profile personality. He would rather discuss his appreciation for agriculture, archaeology and current affairs than the achievements of his company that began as a one-man, one-room agency.
The primary objective of the World Bank is to contribute towards the sustainable reduction of poverty in the country. To this end, they help finance strategic projects, such as improving the health sector, irrigation, and road network to uplift the wellbeing of the people.