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| Wednesday, 10 March 2004 |
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| President charges: S. B. Dissanayake plundered Rs. 2 billion by Ranil Wijayapala President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga yesterday accused Minister S. B. Dissanayake of plundering Rs. 2 billion from the compulsory savings of Samurdhi beneficiaries and offered to remove her impunity voluntarily for the Minister to take her to courts if he can prove her wrong. Addressing a United People's Freedom Alliance rally at Ragama the President said the misappropirations and malpractice in the Samurdhi movement when it was under Minister Dissanayake have been covered up through various plans. "I am ready to remove even impunity if the Minister wants to take me to courts to prove me wrong", the President challenged. The President said Minister S. B. Dissanayake had given away those monies to various Ministers and for his close relatives for various purposes. President Kumaratunga said the Samurdhi movement was created to obtain the youth contribution towards the development of the country and added the Freedom Alliance Government will be committed to make the Samurdhi movement a much better one giving people the maximum benefits. The President said the Alliance Government would take action to see that the Samurdhi benefits which were cut off by the UNF Government will be in place after coming to power. Addressing the third rally of the Freedom Alliance the President said they would implement the Tissa Devendra Salary Commission recommendations within three months of after coming to power. The President said, although the Tissa Devendra Commission report recommended 70 per cent salary increase for Government servants in the year 2001, the UNF Government increased salaries only by Rs.1250. "This is a totally inadequate salary hike compared to the Rs.3,000 increase in the cost of living during the last two years", the President added. She said the salaries of Police officers will also be increased in keeping with those recommendations. President Kumaratunga said the Freedom Alliance will come out with its future programme on Thursday depicting the programmes for economy, development, peace process and for reduction of the cost of living. The President said the people will not be relieved of their responsibilities after voting the Freedom Alliance to come to power. "They will be a part of all the programmes undertaken by the Freedom Alliance government through the citizen committees", the President added. The people will be given the responsibility of supervising all development programmes under the Freedom Alliance Government. President Kumaratunga said though the UNF Government was blamed for the takeover of three Ministries for the collapse of the peace process the peace process was stalled five months before the take over of three Ministries. She said the present Government could continue with the peace process due to the environment created by the PA Government through campaigns like 'Sudu Nelum' and 'Thavalama'.She said it was the PA Government which took development to the North. "The LTTE has clearly stated through various statements that Chandrika's Government had done much better for the development of the North even during a period of war, though Ranil Wickremesinghe could do nothing even during peace", the President added. |
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