Dividends of development for all - President

M. T. M. Hanafi Malwana special corr.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa said development cannot be confined to a particular group or a specific part of the country.

“As far as projects are concerned I have to treat all districts alike because people from all parts of the country elected me for a second term.”

He said, “I have to repay the faith placed in me by the people.”

The President was addressing representatives of the Joint Trade Union Alliance of the Gampaha district at Temple Trees on Tuesday.

The President said three million new employment opportunities will be created with the construction of five new harbours, international airport, the Norachcholai and Kerawalapitiya power projects.

These jobs will be given on merit and not on any political recommendations, he said.

He said through Mahinda Chinthana Idiridekma, Sri Lanka will be a model of Asia very soon. I will leave no stone unturned to make this a reality. But without the cooperation of all, this cannot be achieved,” he said.

He said when he became President in 2005 there were only 600,000 Public Servants. But he took all steps to increase this number up to 1.2 million. The UNP has no proper plan to develop the country and it wants somehow to come to power by hook or crook. But unlike in the past the people of the country are today politically astute. They can’t be fooled any more.

He said UNP regime prolonged the ethnic conflict with half hearted attempts to negotiate with the Tigers. “I didn’t hesitate to undertake development activities even when the war was at its climax. I ended thirty years of war and have started development war now.” The President predicted that UPFA would form a stable government at the conclusion of the April 8 Parliamentary Election in line with the people’s expectations.

The President reminded that the people had kept faith in the UPFA on a continuous basis since 1994.

The UPFA had always repaid this faith and had taken steps to uphold the people’s franchise, he said.

The President said he had a duty to create a society which is well-disciplined and has high moral values.

“I request the people of this country to elect a strong Parliament in order to take the country towards greater prosperity and accelerate the development process,” he said.

Senior Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa, artiste Jackson Anthony, veteran scholar J. R. P. Sooriyapperuma, Joint Trade Union Secretary W. H. Piyadasa also spoke.