SENANAYAKE ARRIVING; FLAGS; MILITARY PARADE; AIRCRAFT; PARADE AND FLOATS; CROWDS.




Initials GEM/VS/RM/BB



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: CEYLON THIS WEEK CELEBRATED THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF ITS INDEPENDENCE FROM BRITAIN WITH A BIG PARADE AT TRINCOMALEE.

THE PRIME MINISTER, MR. DUDLEY SENANAYAKE, PRESIDED OVER THE CELEBRATIONS AND TOOK THE SALUTE FROM A PARADE OF 1,200 SERVICEMEN.

THE SOLDIERS, SAILORS AND AIRMEN HAD BEEN DOSED WITH ANTI-MALARIA DRUGS WHEN THEY ARRIVED AT TRINCOMALEE ON THE EAST COAST OF THE ISLAND, AN AREA INFECTED WITH THE DISEASE. BUT THE CELEBRATIONS WENT ON...AND THE AIRMEN PILOTING THE AIRCRAFT IN THE FLY-PAST WERE PROBABLY SAFE FROM MOSQUITOES.

AFTER THE MILITARY SHOW CAME A MARCH-PAST OF LOCAL FARMERS AND MEMBERS OF THE LAND ARMY AND FLOATS REPRESENTING AGRICULTURE. IN HIS ANNIVERSARY MESSAGE MR. SENANAYAKE SAID THE GOVERNMENT HOPED TO MAKE THE COUNTRY MORE AND MORE SELF-SUFFICIENT IN FOOD PRODUCTION. WHEN THAT GOAL WAS ACHIEVED...THEY WERE MORE THAN HALF-WAY THERE ALREADY, HE SAID...LARGE AMOUNTS OF FOREIGN CURRENCY NOW USED TO IMPORT FOODSTUFFS COULD BE DIVERTED TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

THE PRIME MINISTER'S MESSAGE SAID THE ISLAND'S ECONOMY WAS IN A VERY POOR STATE BECAUSE WHILE PRICES OF IMPORTED COMMODITIES WERE RISING, PRICES OF EXPORTS WERE DROPPING.

HE TOLD THE PEOPLE THAT ONLY HARD WORK WOULD LEAD THEM TO A BRIGHT FUTURE, AND ASKED FOR SUPPORT FOR IMPENDING LEGISLATION TO CURB EXTRAVAGANT SPENDING ON SOCIAL FUNCTIONS.