Garvin Karunaratne former SLAS, GA Matara. 

What the country needs immediately is a programme of employment creation and poverty alleviation where the unemployed will be making things that are being imported today. Last week I saw a packet of pastry sheets made in Malaysia for sale at Cargills.  An industry to make pastry sheets can be set up in one day.  I see Jam and Fruit Drinks made in Austraila- we did once make these ourselves and can make them within weeks. I see Aloe vira drinks made in India. That can be made in days. We must immediately have a crash programme to make things ourselves and this will achieve both poverty as well as reduce imports. We even imported kirilala. We must also have an effective import control.

Half our people are hungry and live on two meals a day. It is sheer poverty that we can easily avoid.  Very soon the poor will storm the bastille. Our President and Prime Minister , the highest elected person should open their eyes before it is late. This is a task that has to be done and can be done.