Nursing profession gets impetus

Mahinda Aluthgedara

The Government has increased the number of Nurses Training Schools to 19 and made arrangements to grant nursing degrees to train nurses according to international standards because there is a great demand for skilled nursing staff here and abroad, said President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The President was addressing a meeting attended by members of the Public Service United Nurses Union (PSUNU) at Temple Trees on Sunday.

The President who emphasised that nurses should not only possess professional skills but also motherly feelings, described the PSUNU as a union dedicated to the development and progress of the health sector.

He said Ven. Muruttettuwe Ananda Thera had been a great source of strength for the PSUNU as its President.

Describing the Opposition campaign as a pure mud slinging campaign against him and his Government, President Rajapaksa said the Opposition which had no proper direction or manifesto to be held out to the people had now resorted to castigate his family and relatives by making baseless allegations against them.

Recalling the state of affairs in the country when he assumed office in 2005, President Rajapaksa said a part of the country had been given over to the LTTE by a Ceasefire Agreement.

The Government had a wafer thin majority in Parliament.

The Opposition parties tried to defeat the Government in Parliament to stop funding for the war effort. The money this Opposition spent in its vain effort to defeat the budget wold have been sufficient to bridge the budget defeat, he said.

The President said he defeated those subtle moves of the Opposition by successfully managing Parliament and inviting Opposition members to the Government fold to build up a majority of 44 members in Parliament.

This enabled the Government to provide adequate funding for the war effort and defeat terrorism and separatism while successfully overcoming international pressure, he said.

President Rajapaksa said: “While managing the war effort, the Government implemented development schemes in other parts of the country to prevent any uprising in the South.

We increased the cadre of Government servants to 1.2 million to provide more employment opportunities to people.

Public service salaries were increased on three occasions. We have come a long way by successfully managing the country’s economy.

Now we cannot allow anyone to reverse the victories gained by our Motherland so far.”

The President told the gathering: “You are members of a strong and dedicated trade union. Don’t be misled by false propaganda.

It is the duty of us all to protect democracy in this country. I am certain that you will perform your responsibility and duty by the nation well.

Parliamentarian Ven. Uduwe Dhammaloka Thera, Healthcare and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva, Youth Affairs Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi and Jackson Anthony also spoke.

PSUNU President Ven. Muruttettuwe Ananda Thera, Ven. Galaboda Gnanissara Thera, Western Province Governor Alavi Mowlana, Presidential Advisor on Trade Union Affairs Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra and other health officials were also present.