(Photo – Picture shows (left to right) – G.C. Wijesinghe (patron), S. Kaney, Students’ Society Secretary, Asita Talwatte, President, ICASL, Malsi Sally, Students’ Society President, Minister Milinda Moragoda, Indrajith Fernando, ICASL Vice president, R. Fazal, Students’ Society VPand Rizan Nazeer, past president, Junior Chamber of Commerce.)

“People have lost respect for political leaders.  This relationship (between the two) has to be rebuilt”, noted Milinda Moragoda, Minister of Economic Reforms, Science and Technology, last week. 

He was making the keynote address at the annual conference of the Practicing Accountants’ Chartered Students’ Society (PACSS) held in Colombo.

Speaking on ‘Effective strategic planning towards nation rebuilding’, he said the people’s confidence could only be won by the performance of the government.  “The people should also be on their toes and push ministers (to do the right thing)”, he added.

He emphasised the importance of economic reforms in various areas such as war, business confidence and power shortages in order to develop Sri Lanka.

Rizan Nazeer, past president Junior Chamber Sri Lanka, Dheerendra Abeyratne, senior vice president DFCC Bank and Suren Rajakarier, Partner KPMG Ford Rhodes Thornton and Company also spoke at the meeting.