People will have opportunity to select new government within 5 months: President

Tuesday, 16 July 2019 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Sirisena calls on masses to vote for ‘honest individuals’ as only way to develop country

People will have the opportunity to elect a new government within the next five months, President Maithripala Sirisena said yesterday, calling on the masses to use their franchise wisely to select “honest individuals” who love the country.

“The only way to re-build this economically backward and corrupt country is to elect a government with honest politicians,” the President said while speaking at a ceremony to hand over the newly-constructed District Hospital in Nuwara Eliya, according to the President’s Media Division.

“Politicians who love the country will automatically work towards uplifting the public.”

He also pointed out that achieving development goals would not be a challenge if the government sector workforce, the frontrunner of the forward march of this country with a strong manpower of 1.6 million, as well as the academics carry out their due responsibilities.

The welfare programs that were carried out during the last five years for the benefit of the estate sector people are unparalleled, said the President, adding that many steps have been taken to ensure free medical and education facilities for this important segment of society.

Illegal drug trafficking is the simplest and the easiest way to destroy a country, he opined. He went on to say that the country is unable to reap the real benefits of many progressive activities due to the clandestine agendas of some political parties and their members. The President emphasised the importance of working beyond petty political gains. The hospital built with the financial assistance of the Kingdom of Netherlands consists of a 600-bed ward complex, operation theatres with modern technology, intensive care units, outpatient clinics, pharmacies, dialysis units as well as quarters for doctors and nurses.

The construction work for this hospital commenced in 2012 when the President held the portfolio of the Health Minister. The hospital is expected to provide quality service to tourists visiting the picturesque Nuwara Eliya city.

Following the unveiling of the plaque, the President went on an inspection tour.

He registered the first three patients who came to the hospital for treatment.

Ministers Rajitha Senaratne and Navin Dissanayake, Governor of the Central Province Maithri Gunaratne, Ministry of Health Secretary Wasantha Perera, Health Services Director General Dr. Anil Jasinghe, a delegation from the Netherlands, and Nuwara Eliya Hospital Director Dr. Mahendra Seneviratne were among those at the ceremony.