The 57th Independence Day of Sri Lanka dawns at a particularly momentous stage of Sri Lanka's recent history when the mighty forces of nature came upon us with a tremendous loss of life and property. Our hearts and minds have been touched by the manner in which the world came to our assistance. The Government and the people of Pakistan instantly reacted with generous donations of cash and kind and donations still continue to pour in.

The resilience and the will power of the Sri Lankan people together with the support of the world at large, give us the strength to move forward. Already, most of the Sri Lankan hotels which were affected, are back in operation and Sri Lanka continue to welcome tourists to enjoy the unparalleled diversity of attractions.

In the area of trade and investment, the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Sri Lanka and Pakistan which is expected to be operational in the near future, is expected to expand existing bilateral trade ties and open up new areas of trade and investment.

We face this year with the resolve and hope for a better tomorrow for all Sri Lankans.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2005