Challenge to build country - President
Sandasen Marasinghe
President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Monday stated that he will create an
era that employment opportunities would come after the youth in Sri
Lanka changing the tradition of youth going after employment.
In the offing
* Salary increase of Rs 2,500
* 600,000 houses
* Tax reductions |
President Rajapaksa made this observation at a rally held in Homagama.
He said he promised to free the nation and the country from the LTTE
and he fulfilled it within four years. Now the challenge is to build the
country for our children and he would create an era when employment will
come after the youth.
He stated that the tax for most of essential items has been reduced.
“The government had to increase tax according to the situation of the
country but we have reached a level where we could reduce tax by Re. 1”.
President Rajapaksa said he knew the people of this country tolerated
numerous hardships and tax burdens for the sake of the country during
the humanitarian operation without protesting or resorting to strikes.
He stated that he would repay their tolerance through benefits to the
nation, the people and their children.
He promised a salary increase of Rs 2,500 to public servants. He also
promised to give 600,000 houses during his tenure commencing from
January 27, 2010. He emphasized that he will give them without any
hesitation because he was true to his words as he had completed more
than 98 percent of the pledges he had made in his previous election
manifesto.
President Rajapaksa stated that Sampanthan came to support him based
on the condition to merge the North and East provinces and demanding
autonomy in those provinces (self rule). He said that he could not give
back what was achieved by the valiant Forces sacrificing their lives.
He also thanked the people in Homagama for the 21,000 votes cast in
his favour in the previous election.
He said he saw during the last few days the crowds thronged at the
rallies in North and East. He saw the happy and contended faces of the
people in Jaffna who gathered at the rally Duraippa grounds in Jaffna.
They had to be given all the facilities enjoyed by others in the
country, the President said.
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