Ensure duties to country sans political differences

President Mahinda Rajapaksa expressed his fullest dedication to ensure the freedom and prosperity of the people. The President pointing out that the present Government had never taken decisions with the intention to remain in power, said the duties to the country should be ensured forgetting all narrow political differences.

The President was addressing party officials of the UPFA in the Gampaha district at a meeting held at the Mirigama public playgrounds on Saturday.

President Rajapaksa said although he had lost his freedom today, he valued the freedom enjoyed by the people.

The President said that the Divi Neguma program which was launched by the Government was aimed at raising the living conditions of one million people and he had given a good example to the people from Temple Trees.

Two independent candidates contesting the LG polls in the Gampaha district Lal Vithana and Namal Thushara joined the UPA at the function in their attempt to further strengthen the President’s program to develop the country and ensure the victory of the UPFA in the LG polls.

President Rajapaksa said the UPFA candidates in the LG polls would certainly obtain a landslide victory. Some say that this is an election aimed at toppling the Government.

But this is not an election capable of changing the present regime, but strengthening the Government. The President recalled that there was a time a permit from the LTTE was required to enter Jaffna, but that situation has today been completely changed by the Government.

He said the present lifestyle of the people should be changed.

The people spend a large sum of money on liquor and smoking. Due to liquor and smokes, thousands of people become ill and had to take treatment from Government hospitals.

We spend a large sum of money on the peoples health. The Government is also spending a large sum of money for giving free education to children.

The President appealed to the people to join the Government to take the country on the path of development.

He said they can join the Government by supporting the UPFA in the LG polls.

Ministers Basil Rajapaksa, Pandu Bandaranayaka and Sarana Gunawardena, Mirigama UPFA organizer Wasantha Senanayake and Upeksha Swarnamali MP also participated in the ceremony.