The country’s foreign policy should be extended to include the protection of the environment and climate without restricting it to governance and international relations, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said during his recent four of Norway.
He had made much effort to obtain Norwegian assistance to safeguard Sri Lanka’s climate and environment, the Prime Minister said, adding that he hoped to discuss measures for safeguarding our maritime zone and developing oceanic resources as well with the Norwegian government in the future.
The Prime Minister was speaking at the opening of the Central Cultural Fund project office complex at National Namal Uyana in Ulpathagama, Galkiriyagama, on Saturday.
The Prime Minister who inaugurated the project office website later, went on an inspection tour of National Namal Uyana accompanied by Wanawasi Rahula Thera. He also garlanded the bust of former President J.R. Jayewardene at Namal Uyana.
The Prime Minister who said that he expected Ven. Wanawasi Rahula Thera to blame him for his failure to visit National Namal Uyana earlier, said the Ven. Thera did not do so and he wished to thank him for it.
Premier Wickremesinghe who thanked Ven. Rahula Thera for the yeoman service rendered in safeguarding Namal Uyana, said Bradman Weerakoon too was especially interested in it and lent all his support to the project with his (the Prime Minister’s) knowledge. If not for Ven. Rahula Thera, someone else would have made it a money-making project and even destroyed the rose quartz deposits there.
He said Ven. Rahula Thera had succeeded in getting the patronage of all governments for the preservation of Namal Uyana. Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe would look into the needs and shortcomings of the Central Cultural Fund which looked after projects of this nature.
Namal Uyana and its rose quartz deposits had good potential for the development of the tourist industry as well. The rose quartz deposits dated back to more than 550 million years. Discussions were now ongoing for the establishment of a timber museum there as requested by the Ven. Rahula Thera. Attention would also be drawn towards the installation of a cable car project too, the Premier said.
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