'Mahinda Chinthana' a practical and sensible program - Susil Premajayantha

BY L.B. WIJAYASIRI in Kandy

EDUCATION Minister Susil Premajayantha said that it was ridiculous that the Opposition continuously demanding the Government to explain the Government's stance on solving the ethnic conflict when that has been clearly explained in the 'Mahinda Chinthana' which was made known to the whole country during the time of Presidential Election.

He said so when he addressed the public servants of the Central Province at a seminar held at the Central Provincial Governor's Office Auditorium, Kandy to educate public servants on the implementation of 'Mahinda Chinthana'

The Government's expectation was to discuss the issue first with all the political parties and groups in the South other than the LTTE and arrive at a consensus and thereafter to take those decisions to the LTTE and discuss with them, the Minister explained.

'Mahinda Chinthana' was a practical and sensible program of work which has been drawn up after studying more than 300,000 letters sent by members of public. The people brought 'Mahinda Chinthana' to victory at the election because these proposals were very close to them.

The Government brought the Budget with a programme to bring economic growth upto 8 per cent. The rate of inflation has gone down from 9 to 7 per cent as the Budget was being introduced Minister Premajayantha said.

He added that a new Authority would be established to develop housing and infrastructure facilities of those people of the North and East who were became victims and displaced, by tsunami and a practical and planned programme of work would be implemented to uplift the living conditions of Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim and other people in those areas who suffered from poverty.

Under the 'Mahinda Chinthana' targets have been given to all sections in the public service and in the State sector there should be suitable programmes to achieve those targets.

There were a large number of resource persons in the country's State sector. Only what they have to do was to appoint suitable persons to suitable positions and leave in their charge the relevant responsibilities, he said.

"There are requests that "Our people" should be appointed to various positions. But what the Government need is to be certain that the appointee is suitable to hold the relevant office and he is capable of discharging the responsibilities. I do not treat anyone without those requirements as 'Our people", he said.

Central Province Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayake, Central Province Chief Secretary P.G. Amarakoon, CP Governor's Secretary and the President of the Sri Lanka Administrative Services Officers' Union Gamini Seneviratne also spoke.