The United National Front for Good Governance (UNFGG) which launched its manifesto in Colombo today pledged more amendments to the 19th Amendment and rename the Constitutional Council set up under this legislation as the State Assembly.

The party said the State Assembly would comprise civil society members other than the Speaker, Prime Minister and Leader of Opposition.

Prime Minister and UNFGG Prime Ministerial candidate Ranil Wickremesinghe who addressed the launch said civil society members would be allowed to play a leading role in the state administration. Therefore he said a consultative assembly comprising civil society members will also be set up. In addition he said civil society members in villages would play a role in cluster village system which the UNFGG pledged to introduce. In addition the Prime Minister said the UNFGG intended to make every MP in Parliament a part of the administration.

The party also pledged to bring in stringent laws to deal with corruption. Minister Rajitha Senaratne said details of corruption and murders would be uncovered soon and the culprits would be brought to book.

The party said its manifesto was a plan to develop the country within 60 months generate one million jobs, one mega city in the Western province and to set up 45 economic development zones in the country, 23 super development zones and ten fisheries development zones. Outlining its stance on education the party pledged to change the school curriculum, set up a school monitoring board, bring in international schools under the national education policy and also to set up a university development council to develop universities .

The party pledged to sign trade and investment pacts with neighbouring countries, the East Asian nations and other countries such as the USA and China.

The UNFGG which had pledged to uphold Buddhism had promised to set up an institute to spread Buddhism internationally. Also the party pledged to set up a Christian Religious Affairs Ministry. Accordingly, budgetary allocations would be made directly to it. It also pledged to rebuild churches destroyed in the north due to the war.

While assuring security to Muslims places of worship, and their business operations and properties, it pledged to resettle Muslims evicted from the north. It also promised to develop 'Ahadiya Schools'. Similar measures for the development of Hindu religious affairs were also announced.

While acknowledging that reconciliation had not been achieved after the end of the war, the party said it, if elected to office, would take steps forthwith to work out solutions to the grievances of all the communities. The party said it would respond to the UN report on Sri Lanka according to the framework of the domestic law only, in consultation with member states and all religious and ethnic groups .

With regard to the development of highways, the party announced that it would start the construction of central and Ratnapura highways. (Yohan Perera and Chaturanga Pradeep)