Development mechanism revolutionalised, says President

Rohan Mathes

COLOMBO: Several arduous tasks presumed almost impossible and thereby abandoned in the past, have been fulfilled and accomplished successfully, within the last three years, said President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing a ceremony to symbolically confer 960 appointments to Cadet Officers cum English Teachers at Temple Trees yesterday.

President Rajapaksa said terrorism which was once considered invincible by certain parties who voluntarily demarcated specific regions in the North and East, and handed over to the LTTE on a platter, by written agreements, was defeated convincingly. Unemployment has been brought down to five per cent for the first time ever, he said.

Similarly he pointed out that an array of other constructive projects such as Mathata Thitha (Campaign Against Alcohol and Drugs), obtaining loans from international lending agencies sans pre-conditions, the construction of mega infrastructural development projects such as the Norochcholai and Kothmale Thermal Power Stations, were some other tasks rejected in the past, but launched successfully by the Government.

The remotest villages were developed with the most sophisticated, state-of-the-art ‘Information Technology’ such as Nena Sela and the provision of acquiring a knowledge of English, which was confined only to Western Province in the past. “A single individual who served the village in the capacity of an English teacher, has been able to transform the entire village, into a wonderful place to live in,” President Rajapaksa said.

“We have amply displayed and convinced the entire world that anything is possible and achievable with total commitment and dedication.

We have revolutionised the whole mechanism of development in the country, making a paradigm shift to transform and re juvenate the most remotest villages. This is part of a mega, integral project of village development, where 960 English teachers would be dispatched to the villages as Cadet Officers,” he said.

He told the new appointees that they received not merely an ‘appointment letter’, but in a more broader perspective, they took over a ‘Challenge’ to venture into the entire country and work for the betterment and prosperity of the future generations of this land.

“The concept of ‘border villages’ has been eliminated from our vocabulary and ground map now.

The Dushkara Palath (Difficult Areas) reference too, would be wiped out similarly,” he noted.

President Rajapaksa was of the view that physical development only, would not suffice, and an integrated approach, wherein the spiritual and moral values too are upheld and cultivated, should be adopted.

“We have a duty and the responsibility of bringing about an environment wherein a pluralistic society could co-exist and live in harmony sans fear nor suspicion.

We believe that these new appointees would perform their duties towards their motherland,” President Rajapaksa added.