Bishop of Mannar commends Rishad for resuming Cabinet portfolio

 Industry, Commerce, Resettlement of Protracted Displaced Persons, Cooperative Development, Skills Development and Vocational Training Minister Rishad Bathiudeen in conversation with Bishop of Mannar Right Reverend Dr. Fidelis Lionel Emmanuel Fernando on 1 August

• “Inter-community and inter-faith relations the foundation of Mannar’s future”: Bishop of Mannar Right Reverend Dr. Fernando 
• “….and reconciliation is the way forward for the region”: Rishad

Bishop of Mannar Right Reverend Dr. Fidelis Lionel Emmanuel Fernando met with Industry, Commerce, Resettlement of Protracted Displaced Persons, Cooperative Development, Skills Development and Vocational Training Minister and Vanni District MP Rishad Bathiudeen at the Bishop’s House in Mannar on the morning of 1 August. Minister Bathiudeen paid a courtesy call on Bishop Dr. Fernando during his visit to the electorate. 

“Vigorous inter-community and inter-faith relations are a must if the Mannar region is to prosper to the next stage of development. The Catholic Church will support your positive efforts to develop the region, and enhance the living standards of its people,” stated Bishop of Mannar Right Reverend Dr. Fernando. “I commend your decision to return to your Ministerial portfolio. This shall sustain your capacity to serve the public better.” Being a Cabinet Minister in the Government enables one to render services to the public in a much bigger way, Bishop Right Reverend Dr. Fernando added. 

Responding to Bishop Right Reverend Dr Fernando, Minister Bathiudeen readily extended his condolences on the Easter Sunday attacks to the Church, saying that the terrorists involved were not at all considered as followers of Islam, but as savages, by all Sri Lankan Muslims.  “This is the united stand of all Muslim leaders and Muslim people of Sri Lanka. Since some Sri Lankans still do not think as Sri Lankans but think as Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims, we have not achieved the expected development even 70 years after independence. The three decades of war destroyed much of Northern Province, including Mannar, and even though infrastructure has been re-built, reconciliation needs some more work. I readily agree with Your Excellency that without inter-community relations, reconciliation will be lost in Mannar and everywhere. As an MP from Vanni District, I am always committed to strong inter-community relations in Mannar. My resumption of Cabinet portfolio came to be due to the collective final decision of all Muslim MPs, and now I intend to resume my services to the public at the national level,” responded Minister Bathiudeen. 

Both Bishop Right Reverend Dr. Fernando and Minister Bathiudeen also discussed many other aspects of inter-community relations of Mannar during their meeting.