Enhanced global support for development - President
Uninterrupted flow of foreign funds to Lanka:
Rohan MATHES in Polonnaruwa
Polonnaruwa: All assumptions and theories originated and propagated
by certain parties relating to the receipt of foreign aid by the
Government have been proved baseless, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said.
President Rajapaksa made this observation when he addressed a mammoth
rally in Polonnaruwa yesterday, the second in a series of rallies
organised by the Government, in support of UPFA candidates contesting
the forthcoming Sabaragamuwa and North Central Provincial Council
Elections due to be held on August 23.
Recollecting the famous quote of King Parakramabahu the Great, who
had stated, ‘Let not a single drop of water go unutilised to the sea’,
the President pointed out that in the contemporary world, even the
learned officials of the World Bank have now realised its true potential
and value, and have derived guidelines from this noble ideology.
Based on this noble concept, his Government too, reversed the
haphazard and ill-fated trend inherited from the previous regime, of
filling-up fertile agro land and constructing hotels. He included the
concept in the Mahinda Chintanaya and even stated this in his address to
the SAARC Summit this year. Now the whole world is lauding this policy.
“The international community being fully confident of our development
policies on these lines, is offering us financial aid in abundance to
the great disappointment of certain parties who from the time his
Government resumed office were originating and propagating malicious and
unfounded statements claiming that the chances of receiving foreign aid
by Sri Lanka were remote.”
“These theories beyond any possible doubt, have now been proved a
myth. They with vested interests and a characteristic political agenda
to grab power, strove to betray their motherland.
We are destroying all these unfounded misconceptions and are
proceeding on the correct path of development and prosperity with the
receipt of all envisaged aid from the international community. We will
rejuvenate the livelihoods of the ‘Raja Rata’ polity by embarking on a
planned project of re-constructing several tanks and irrigation
projects,” he said.
He pointed out that the farming community of Polonnaruwa who failed
to dispose their paddy even at Rupees 8 per kilo, and consumed poison in
the past, are now selling for the highest price ever in its history.
This surplus revenue of over rupees Rs. 8 million, is now in the pockets
of the farmer, which in turn has also helped to rejuvenate the village.
President Rajapaksa categorically stated that the words Maaim
Gammanna (Border Villages), have been completely wiped out from his
Government’s vocabulary. “We now speak about Gamma Neguma (developing
the village) instead,” he noted.
He opined that his Government has now liberated the East completely
and would liberate the North too very soon. He urged the people of Raja
Rata to ensure a landslide victory to the Government at the forthcoming
elections to accomplish the arduous task of eradicating terrorism
completely and the fragmentation of our land.
“This is our greatest challenge, our bounden duty and responsibility
to the nation. We will not go back on it, until we finally succeed in
building a nation where all communities could live sans fear nor
suspicion and in perfect harmony.
“We need the fullest support of the people of ‘Raja Rata’ for this,”
the President added.
Ministers Susil Premjayantha, Dilan Perera, Mahindananda Aluthgmage,
Nimal Siripala De Silva, Maithripala Sirisena, former Chief Minister of
the North Central Province Berty Premalal Dissanayake and World Bank
Country Director Naoko Ishii also addressed the rally. |