Development and defeating terrorism go hand in hand

President Mahinda Rajapaksa said on Thursday that his Government within a three-year period has taken decisive steps to truly defeat terrorism while spending over Rs. 6 billion for development.

He said while previous regimes prolonged the war like the beggar's wound, his Government deviated from this path and took measures to weed out the scourge of terrorism once and for all while proceeding with development programs including the construction of roads, power and hydro projects more than ever before during the past three years.

The President was speaking at the Productivity Awards ceremony of the co-operative movement which was revived under the Mahinda Chintana National Renaissance Program at the President's House in Kandy.

The President also handed over Rs. one million each to Multi-Purpose Co-operative Societies to start 300 mini Co-op city outlets before the Sinhala and Hindu New Year.

The President observed he never neglected developing the country ; taking cover behind fighting terrorism but this aspect had escaped the attention of the media.

He said development that was confined to Colombo was taken to the villages as at no other time during the past three years.

"Today you can witness unprecedented development in the village."

President Rajapaksa said his Government has commenced massive hydropower projects in Kandy, Peradeniya and Kur-unegala.This enabled them to set up large scale power projects during the recent past.

We were able to establish the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Memorial Hospital, a hospital in Kurunegala and the new Cancer ward and render a valuable service to the health sector.

"Today we can see concrete roads in every village bringing an unprecedented awakening in the rural areas. While commencing Upper Kotmale hydro power project we were able to start Moragahakanda, without borrowing even five cents from foreign countries," the President noted.