400 foreign dignitaries invited for Independence Day Celebrations: State Minister

Some 400 foriegn dignitaries, including the Commonwealth Secretary General have been invited to attend the 75th Independence Day Celebrations, State Minister Ashoka Priyantha said today.

He told Parliament that the government has planned go ahead with the scheduled Independence Day Celebration, despite the crisis situation as it will be an event to boost tourism.

The Minister said this in response to a question raised by Parliamentarian Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera whether government was going ahead with the celebrations amidts the crisis situation.

The prelate said the government should not spend a large amount of money for celebrations when people were struggling to meet ends and requested the government to hold it symbolically at a minimum cost.

The state minister said it will be important to conduct the celebration with traditional events so as to boost tourism at a time the tourism sector is picking up.

He said it was true that the government has to spend some money and added that private sponsors have also sponsored for this event. (Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera)