President Maithripala Sirisena has given the order to immediately Gazette the amendments to the Excise ordinance during a discussion addressing drug eradication and minimising crime held yesterday (02). During this meeting held at the Presidential Secretariat, President Sirisena reviewed the progress of the programme to minimise the crime rate in the country and emphasised the importance for the nation to become a drug-free country. Those present at the meeting included Minister of Defence Thalatha Athukorale, Acting Inspector General of Police, Secretary to the President Udaya R. Seneviratne, Defence Secretary Shantha Kottegoda and Acting Attorney General Dappula de Livera and other national security as well as Government officials.     minimizing crimes held at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday (02). The President has emphasized the importance of implementing laws on drug offences in order to advance the programme for creating a drug-free country. The progress of the programme to minimize the crimes rate in the country was also reviewed at this meeting. President Sirisena has further instructed to expedite the amendments to the Poison, Opium and Dangerous Drug act. Minister Thalatha Atukorale, Secretary to the President Udaya R. Seneviratne, Defence Secretary Shantha Kottegoda and Acting Attorney General Dappula de Livera, the Acting Inspector General of Police and several other senior officials of security forces had joined the discussion.