Plantation Ministry regional unit in N' Eliya

by P. Rajaratnam in Nuwara Eliya

A regional unit of the Ministry of Medium and Smallscale Plantation Industries and Rural Human Resources Development was opened at Nuwara Eliya by Minister C.B. Ratnayake for a number of ongoing developments in the Nuwara Eliya district.

On this occasion Minister of Trade, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Jeyaraj Fernandopulle was the chief guest and he said that the government will extend its hands and welcome the dissident JVPers into the government, fold, since they have been a party to the formation of the government, but he was certain that the JVP will never join the UNP.

He said Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe's second Bala Meheyuma will not bring in the desired effects and it would be a failure like the one which was staged when the UNP leader returned from America to Katunayake Airport and to Colombo. He requested the UNP and its leadership to desist from staging processions, but join hands in the country's development process establishing unity among the communities. He said the government will hold the presidential elections according to the Constitution and its laid out principles - but the local elections in the country will be held as scheduled.

He said that the government will go on with its development in addition to solving the ethnic conflict, within the country, in addition to solving the problems of the tsunami victims providing houses and other amenities within a given time, rather than waiting the UNP to complete such a task after the general elections in the country. He explained that the tsunami disaster was a natural calamity which swept away certain areas.

With regard to the present cost of living the Minster said that it was partly due to the corrupt practices of certain trading communities and also the prevailing global conditions, and the lack of storage facilities. He said that the government has envisaged positive schemes to overcome the present trends with rigid steps.

Therefore the Minister appealed masses not to believe some medias who were trying to distort the factual position. He said now the government was watching closely against certain. UNP quarters attempting to sling mud on Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse, who has a clean sheet in his political career. He said if they continue to sling mud, they will not fail to feed mud against those certain corrupt UNPers.

Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle paid a glowing tribute to Minister C.B. Ratnayake for his service to the district and opening the first Regional Unit in Nuwara Eliya and (regional) office for his Ministry, based on development perspectives and he was confident they will benefit the people in the district.

Mervyn Silva, a former UNPer explained in detail the ins and outs of his former party and said it lacked wisdom and dynamism to many of the country's problems and he appealed to masses not to believe their falsehoods but to back the President and her government for a better and prosperous tomorrow.

Minister C.B. Ratnayake allayed the fears that because of the JVP's break away, the government will topple. He said the people of this country are mature and wise to assess the situation and be responsible towards their tasks.

He said by creating the regional office of his Ministry at Nuwara Eliya boost the development concepts in the entire district and he called upon the officials to ensure its scope of work in implementing it, several others also spoke.

Eleven scholarships were awarded to children in schools in the district for higher education.