Biggest salary increase under Present Govt.

Nadira Gunatilleke

COLOMBO: The Government has already provided one lakh of jobs during its one and a half year tenure. The biggest ever salary increase so far had been given by the present Government, Construction and Engineering Service Minister Rajitha Senaratne said.

“During the two and half years I was Minister in the UNP Government, I was able to grant only 74 jobs and I had to do it without the knowledge of the then Prime Minister,” he said.

The Government is importing weapons and is capable of attacking terrorists by air, sea or ground, the Minister said.

“From 1977 to 2005 about 100 State institutions were privatised under different Presidents but under the present President not a single State institution has been privatised,” he said speaking after handing over appointments to over 1,000 newly appointed nurses and other technicians in the medical field at a ceremony at the National Youth Centre, Maharagama yesterday, Senaratne said steps have been taken to shut down PERC.

He said if another country had to face a 20 year conflict its people would have perished from hunger and malnutrition but in Sri Lanka this has not happened.

“The Government is today spending Rs. 100 billion for the conflict.

There are various economies in the world and all those economical success had been achieved under dictatorships but Sri Lanka today while spending 100 billion for the conflict, provide lakhs of jobs and maintain a quality health and education despite protests, strikes and a opposition which oppose anything and everything. This is a miracle,” Senaratne said.

“The Government offers free scanning and open heart surgeries which costs lakhs in the private sector.

The Government spends Rs. 18 billion for drugs annually.

It also pays half of everything including people’s light bills, transport bills, etc. Free education is not available today even in countries like Vietnam and China.

“University students of the countries do part time jobs and pay money for their education,” the Minister said.

He said “Sri Lankans destroy hospital property if the doctor gets late by 10 minutes.

“Our trade unions are still in the stone age and live like frogs in a well. But Communist countries which taught us Communism have gone forward by their attitudes. The United States bombed Vietnam using bombs more than the bombs they used in the Second World War but today it is the US which is the biggest trading partner of Vietnam. During the Asian Trade Union Summit, China said they welcome Globalisation,” the Minister added.

Healthcare and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said Mahinda Chinthanaya will be strengthened with the new 1,000 appointments given to the nurses and other technicians in the health sector.

“I must thank President Mahinda Rajapaksa for granting money to train nurses. Greece has requested nurses from Sri Lanka,” he said.