manifesto:
 

A bright future

* To make the miracle of Asia as the centre of five forces

* A prosperous country with food and other requirements

* A country where everyone will have access to houses, electricity, water and communication facilities

* A country with advanced highways and transport services

* A disciplined and law abiding society with good governance

* A united country which will not be divided again

* Lasting peace with majority consensus

* A green Sri Lanka which protected fauna and flora

* A positive tomorrow which gives pride of place to youth aspirations

* A knowledgeable teacher student population which wins the earth and sky with cyber space

* A healthy population benefitting from Western and Eastern medicine

* Local entrepreneurs winning the world through local resources and knowledge

* An era which brings a revival of the literature and fine arts

* A loving country which attracts rather than distracts people

Unified Motherland, Unified Nation

As much as a Provincial Council was established in the Eastern Province liberated from terrorism a Provincial Council will be set up in the Northern Province too to seek its active participation in the development process. In order to create an honourable peace steps will be taken to build a consensus for bringing amendments to the Constitution to strengthen peoples power while safeguarding a united country to solve political problems after discussions with all. New proposals will be brought to change the proportional representation system and make the post of President a trustee answerable to Parliament and Judiciary.

Electricity for all round the clock

A dark era without electricity due to the non implementation of electricity generation projects for political reasons, customers who paid the highest electricity bills in the world and villages which did not enjoy electricity facilities were our ancient heritage. Electricity generation was strengthened during my era to prevent a dark era for another decade. With the implementation of new power plants we will be able to lessen the burden of the electricity bill and provide electricity to all who do not enjoy this facility during this next six years. The foundation will also be laid to revive electricity generation for the future.

Housing for all

I believe that each and every family in Sri Lanka should have a decent home for a healthy and prosperous life. Within the next six years I will launch a giant project to build houses for all strata of society including the displaced, victims of national disasters, public and private sector employees and plantation workers.

A disciplined country

I believe that a moral society should be built based on the family centred round father, mother and children while ensuring security and protection of children through legal means. I will utilise the values of Buddhism and other religions to build a society devoid of liquor and drugs and rich in moral and spiritual values with the leadership of mothers.

Revolution in the local industrial field

All facilities will be provided to the local entrepreneur utilising local knowledge and resources to conquer the foreign market. While the State sector will provide essential services to the people in competition with the private sector. The public service will be transferred into a people oriented service which gives pride of place to efficiency and skill. Small and medium scale industrialists will be given all impetus considering them as the backbone of the National Economy. The Export Market will be diverted towards the emerging Asian, Latin American and North African markets.

War hero felicitation

It is our war heroes who created the environment for us to live without fear and suspicion and future economic revival by sacrificing their blood, flesh and lives. Part of the economic prosperity gained by us will be devoted to uplift their lives and their families.

Api Wawamu Rata Nagamu

We developed the local agricultural sector to build a prosperous nation devoid of scarcities. I will take steps to provide the fertilizer subsidy and an open market to subsidiary crops too. Concurrently, I will popularise carbonic agriculture and strengthen the local dairy farmer. My policy is to create a self sufficient and prosperous nation by creating an agricultural revival in the North and East too.

Easing Cost of Living burden

I believe that the Cost of Living burden can be eased by increasing local production and empowering the poor. I will take steps to reduce the cost of living burden by increasing the Samurdhi subsidy, providing essential food items at concessionary prices by encouraging completion between the CWE, co-operatives and the private sector and creating economic opportunities which will increase peoples incomes.

Pride of place to youth aspirations

Valuable young lives were destroyed on several occasions in the country’s history and it caused the country’s downfall.

Every youth will be given a new education, technical training and empowered to obtains a job according to talent or entrepreneurship. The powerful youth will be made the leading battalion which raises the country to a prestigious position in the world by uplifting their artistic and sports talents.

Marine resource for our prosperity

We have been able to secure the lost extent of territorial waters through the UN law of the sea and today we possess twenty three times the area of our country as our ocean resource. I will implement a policy of harvesting this vast marine resource methodically. Our fisher community will be provided with the modern scientific equipment and knowledge to make them one of prosperous groups of our society.

A green Sri Lanka for a sustainable future

One of the very special gifts of Sri Lanka is our extremely rich natural resources with our bio-diversity. Global climate change and scarcity of oil and gas compel us to use renewable energy sources, management of discarded refuse and waste, making green cities to start environment friendly agriculture in the coming decade to implement the Green Sri Lanka program.

A healthy populace

The right to a healthy life for all will be guaranteed by modernization and extension of the free health services and placing the Ayurvedic system on par with the Western medical system. Drug manufacturing in the country will be strengthened and import of drugs will be streamlined while facilities for health and allied facilities will be improved.

Growth of Teachers and Students rich with universal knowledge

I will assure the right of free education to everyone in the society. I will also introduce revolutionary changes in curriculum and strategies to end the era of unemployment among the graduates and Advanced Level qualified. Both the teachers and students will be made the basis of a proud nation rich with knowledge in the world.

Invitation for a proud Sri Lanka

It is my expectation to transform Sri Lanka as an attractive place with modern harbours, airports, communications and a road network free from fear of terrorism. I will formulate policies and build up facilities to develop tourism and eco-tourism which will introduce our national grandeur to the outside world. These efforts will in turn generate income to our people.

A Knowledge Centre

The most valuable asset our country is the disciplined and educated human resource. By increasing computer literacy and English education it is my objective to follow the great tradition of education of the Maha Vihara to make Sri Lanka the knowledge hub of the region. It is my hope to reverse the brain drain and create a new generation who would bring the flow of knowledge to the country and to earn foreign exchange. It also my policy to invite international business through the Internet to do transactions to take place in Sri Lanka and create thousands of jobs for Sri Lankans.

Aviation Centre

Due to the exceptional strategic position of our country from the era of King Ravana’s war up to the time Earl Mountbatten during the Second World War Sri Lanka was an aviation centre. We had modernized the Bandaranaike International Airport Katunayake and are building our second international airport at Mattala in the South. Fourteen domestic airports across the country are being renovated for handling air traffic from India and the region.

As the Sri Lanka Air Force won acclaim as an exemplary force conquering the skies I would make Sri Lanka the Aeronautical Centre of providing services like repairs and assembly of aircraft and provide thousands of jobs for our youth in this sector.

A Shipping Centre

Sri Lanka was the hub of shipping on the ancient Silk Route. By developing the Colombo, Galle, Hambantota, Oluvil and Kankasanturai ports I will work to make Sri Lanka the shipping hub of South Asia again. By this exercise hundreds of thousands of our children will become trained seamen, mechanics, engineers, chandlers and dockworkers and those employed in bunkering.

Great era in the revival of arts

We have opened our minds to a greater revival of drama, songs, films and performing arts which will in turn lead to a social and economic resurgence. It was our artistes who acted as vanguards towards our national renaissance in the past. I will also take the country forward to an era of artistic richness reminiscent of Great King Parakkramabahu, the sixth who unified the country in the Kotte Era.

Commercial Centre

It is my objective to make Sri Lanka the commercial centre of this region with international banking, investment, commerce as it is the most suitable location with the infrastructure and the Information Technology webs the main stock market of Asia.

Senior Citizens experiences for country’s benefit

I will build up an environment where the retired people who had rendered a yeoman service to the country will be able lead a proud life free from any kind of fear.

Their valuable experience and services will be obtained for the future of the country through the Senior Citizen’s Organisation.

Fuel Resource Centre

The fossil fuel resource of the world will not last more than five more decades. I am very happy to say that our territorial waters that had been clearly demarcated and the opportunity to explore oil given to foreigners earlier has been taken back for our country.

I am happy to say that in 2010 we will be doing our own oil and gas exploration. As oil becomes dearer than gold we will become dearer than gold we will be the international centre for refining and distribution of oil. We will also make Sri Lanka a centre for renewable energy like wind, solar and bio fuel power.

Great Revolution in Communication

During the past few years. I made mobile phones, computers, radios and televisions as common household items which were earlier the preserves of the rich in the country.

I will also undertake to transform our children as a group of people who are clearly conversant with the intricacies the earth and space after expanding the usage of satellite facilities with broadband network which connects the country to the outside world.

Maga Neguma

Our road network and bridges were worn out to the limit. An unprecedented development of roads, byroads and bridges had been achieved through Maga Neguma. Today, a developed road network connects towns such as Ampara, Moneragala, Kantale, Vavuniya, Mankulam, Embilipitiya, Dambulla and Hambantota. All rural and estate roads and byroads will be developed as permanent concrete roads in future. The entire road network will be modernized linking a new system of towns.

What you will gain from the next Budget

* I will take steps to deliver the ‘Budget Pack’ - a bag of essential food items - which is now available at Sathosa sales outlets, also from private retail traders.

* Thirty percent of discount on electricity bill consumed by low-income group families and provision of five litres of kerosene free to those householders who don’t enjoy electricity.

* All qualified poor families to obtain Samurdhi assistance and the families receiving below Rs 1,000 to receive upto Rs 1,000 as Samurdhi assistance.

* An additional grant of Rs 1,500 to each Samurdhi family which has children below three years.

* I will take steps to set up a labour pool of 150,000 persons with special abilities.

* I will provide equal salary to male and female labour.

* I will take steps to grant a pension to persons over 65 years of age.

* A special bonus grant to the permanent deposits of senior citizens. The payment for destitute (Asarana Sarana) to be increased to Rs 1,000.

* The pension of those retired government servants before 2006 will be brought on par with the 2006 scheme.

* An insurance scheme of Rs. 10,000 to retired public servants to meet medical bills will be introduced.

* A grant of Rs. 400,000 to each disabled child between the age of 12-22 years will be provided to build up his/her own talents.

* Development of 15 Ranajayapura housing schemes in various parts for war heroes and a provision of a minimum of 10 perches of land for building a house.

* Reduction of charges namely 12.5 percent on housing rent from the basic salary of a police officer and 7.5 percent from bachelor police officers by 50 percent. An increased payment of allowance to those police officers who work in outer areas.

* Provision of pension rights to those officers in Civil Defence Force who have put on an uninterrupted 20 years service.

* A program to provide 600,000 new houses targetting those displaced persons from the North and East, government servants, university community, migrant workers, slum dwellers in Colombo city, poor people in rural areas, fisher folk, estate workers, etc.

* Provision of a complete house with basic facilities to each family belonging to estate community.

* Grant of housing ownership to the inmates of government flats and other housing schemes of Municipal Councils.

* A minimum grant of Rs. 2,500 as a salary increase in addition to the CoL allowance increase of Rs. 750 for 2010 to government servants.

* Distribution of 25,000 blocks of lands containing 10 perches each to enable landless government/corporation employees to construct a house.

* Provision of tax-free vehicles to government/corporation employees.

* Setting up of a ‘Foreign Employment Provident Fund’ to migrant workers.

* Establishing of a Pension Fund among private and government employees who don’t have pension rights.

* Reduction of tax on production and import duty and personal income by simplifying the existing tax system.

* Introduction of an insurance scheme among three-wheelers and drivers.