Former President’s New Year message

Former President Maithripala Sirisena in a New Year message said that in our collective journey, national harmony, peace and reconciliation is of paramount importance and we must understand that it is the only and the righteous way for the nation to rise.

Wishing the people of the country a happy and a prosperous New Year he said Sri Lanka enters a decisive phase of its history with the dawn of the New Year. "We must overcome the challenges facing us as individuals, collectively, and as a nation," he said.

The year 2020 is going to be a critical year for our economic development and in the political sphere. In our collective journey, national harmony, peace and reconciliation is of paramount importance. We must understand that it is the only and the righteous way for the nation to rise, the former President stated.

"Our dreams can be realised when we are fully committed to the greater good of the people to do the right thing in the right manner, efficiently and effectively. We must also pay attention to the adverse effects of environmental conditions. Those challenging weather patterns and conditions force us to take environmental sustainability seriously," the former President said in his message.