Join hands to develop the country - President

Rafik JALALDEEN

President Mahinda Rajapaksa said every national is treated equal before the law despite their professional and community background.

Addressing the gathering at a ceremony organised by the Southern Province Consultation Committee on Land at Temple Trees, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said the Opposition Leader had given officially part of the country to be controlled by the LTTE. The Government has now liberated the entire country and brought it under one flag to create a united Sri Lanka.

“It is important to note at this juncture a deed was signed by the Opposition Leader during the CFA giving one third of land and two third of coastal line to be controlled by the LTTE cadres. Politicians, Security Forces and Police were not allowed to enter their controlled areas without orders from the LTTE leaders,” he added.

The LTTE built their own kingdom and established their court, police, air and sea wings. The Security Forces had to sacrifice their lives to liberate all these land and coastal line established by the LTTE. “What is important and necessary now is to share the liberated country and join hands for its development instead of criticizing the development process carried out by the Government,” he added.

The government launched a project to distribute 100,000 land blocks and it has now reached the 500,000 mark.

President Rajapaksa reiterated that Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe betraying the country has made many abortive attempts to prevent the IMF loan but the loan was granted despite the allegations. IMF loans had never been given to a country without monitoring the situation according to them. “Therefore, the world has recognised our ability and strength to take the country towards a path of development,” he said.

The Government is proceeding with the development process systematically and the outcome of the development will be seen by everyone in the near future.

The President said while the entire world is facing an economic crisis, the Government has carried out its development process amidst fighting against terrorism.

“There is not a single country which could continue its development process while fighting terrorism. But we have fought and eradicated terrorism while continuing the development process in the country,” President Rajapaksa remarked.

The Government has launched many development programs all around the country.

There are harbours, roads, power plants, and many other projects carried out in the country.

Under the Mahinda Chintana the Agricultural sector is the focal point since the country depends on agriculture. “Everyone must use the land block provided by the Government and obtain maximum benefit by using the resource of the lands,” he added.

He requested all the GSs from the Southern Province to encourage and help people to focus more on agriculture. The Government made enormous contributions to the development of the country and gave its hand when people failed. “When the Seylan Bank was facing a financial crisis, the Government intervened and a State bank took over the management,” the President said. President Rajapaksa asserted that certain elements working under the payroll of NGOs in an attempt to tarnish the image of the country, were talking about media freedom and the judiciary system in the country.

“Media has never been suppressed and everybody is treated equal before the law despite their profession, be a journalist, a police officer or anyone else,” he added. The LTTE was defeated by the Security Forces. People live in a peaceful and safe environment now. Thus, every citizen is duty bound to work consciously towards the development of the country. “When I came into power IT was five percent in the schools and it has now progressed to 30 percent. Health care and living standards have been improved. This reflects the development of the country,” the President said.

He said the SLFP will secure a landslide victory in the forthcoming Southern Province election. The past PC elections in the other provinces were empirical evidence.