Ampara district development under UPFA - Minister Ferial Ashraff

Ashraff A. Samad, Dehiwela - Mount Lavania special corr

Ampara saw its district development only under the UPFA Government. There are so many Ministers from Ampara District in this Government, said Minister of Housing and Common Amenities, Ferial Ashraff at the ceremony held in connection with the laying of the foundation stone for the office of the Assistance Director of Agriculture at Addalachenai to be build at a cost of Rs. 13 million from the NECORD project.

She said it was the late Minister M.H.M. Ashraff who initiated development work for the Ampara district and served its people.

The members of Parliament and Ministries of this district must get together and develop it.

Among those who participated in this event were Assistant Director of Agriculture, M. Latheef, Ampara District Secretary Sunil Kannangara, Chairman National Housing Development Authority Mohamed Rafeek, Additional Government Agent U.L.A. Azee, Ampara Deputy Director of Agriculture Nimal Jayaratne, Director of NECORD Project M.A. Careem and Divisional Secretary Addalachenai M.S. Niyas.

The Minister said that in 2001 this agriculture office at Addalachenai and the Agricultural Research Institute at Sammanthurai were established for the benefit of the farmers on the coastal belt of Ampara district. Subsequently, the UNP Government which came into power for two years closed down both these institutions.

The Agricultural officers and the farmer organisations in this area made representations in this regard and requested the reopening of these two offices.

She said 'I am developing this area as much as possible. But not with the intention of getting your votes, you all can vote for anyone you like. But in development work, I hope you will join us. Most of the development work for this area were carried out during the Chandirika Kumaratunga and Mahinda Rajapaksa Governments.

I hope you will never forget this. Ampara districts is predominantly an agricultural district. In this area there is a problem affecting agriculture. I will invite the Minister of Agriculture to the area and discuss this problem with him.