The current proposal to reopen the road stretch adjacent to the Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy is being met with a show of approval as well as opposition, though on the whole the response on the part of the local Buddhist laity as well as the clergy has been rather lukewarm either way for some inexplicable reason. In any case, it appears that a final decision is yet to be taken in this regard. The delay affords the authorities an opportunity to reconsider the wisdom of restoring an anomaly on the sacred Maligawa premises that should have been permanently removed long ago.

Surprisingly, however, the Malwatte Prelate has no objection to the reopening of the road, while the Central Province Governor is opposed to the move as reported in The Island newspaper on July 6 and 8 respectively. We hope that the wiser counsel of the Governor will prevail.

Import substitution would not help Sri Lanka create jobs, eradicate poverty and become the miracle of Asia, but by developing an export economy, making it easy for investors to do business, abandoning emotional nationalism and establishing the rule of law and integrity could take Sri Lanka closer to its goals.

J. Jegathesan, consultant to the government of Japan on African Development and a former top ranking official of the Malaysia Industrial Development Authority (MIDA), said Malaysia was where it was today because it abandoned import substitution policies and adopted an aggressive strategy to develop its exports.

"The (thirty year war on terrorism is over) now the war on poverty is the greatest war and everyone in Sri Lanka has to make a push and break the back of poverty within the next five years. This should happen not because someone wishes it so, no matter how senior the person is. Everybody should want it," he said, addressing the Sri Lanka Economic Summit and 24th conference of Confederation of Asia Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industries in Colombo yesterday.

• Psychological barrier on travelling to SL broken
• SL makes statement to 650 million global viewers that it is open for business.
• Investing on brand building must be done when the awareness is high
• 1st mega post war event must be fol lowed up by private sector initiatives

Sajith Premadasa is seen by many as the next leader of the UNP. In the first part of this wide ranging, two part interview, he speaks to  C.A.Chandraprema about the various accusations that have been levelled against him and his father with regard to the present sorry state of the party.