President pledges development to North and East

President Maithripala Sirisena promised to channel more development activities to the post-war communities in the North and the East. 

“Every government that has come to power since 1947 has used the people’s representatives in the North and the East to safeguard their own powers, and on the other hand, did not take actions to create an environment for an appropriate political representation that could solve the economic and development issues of the people in the North and East,” he said last week, speaking at a ceremony unveiling development projects completed under the ‘Sirisara Pivisuma’ district development project. 

The President pointed out that earlier governments have paid only minor attention to the developmental needs of the people in the North and East. He said that lack of proper political representation and leadership were the main causes of the ethnic issues which erupted in the North and East. 

The President also spoke of plans to renovate tanks across the country, saying that the development initiative of the Government aims to uplift the economic standard of the rural community. 

The President further said that the people of this country elected him as the President of this country on 8 January 2015 to fulfil obligations of post-war period. 

The Government has worked towards this during the past three-and-a-half years, he said, adding that numerous tasks have been completed by the Government to build national and religious reconciliation while eliminating anxiety and mistrust among the people in the war-affected areas. President Sirisena emphasised that whatever challenges faced are by him, he will commit for the future betterment of the country.   

President Maithripala Sirisena vested the Gomarankadawala Bakmeegama tank, which was renovated under the Sirisara Pivisuma project, with the public and opened the 30km-long Elephant Fence, which was constructed as a pilot project in the Gomarankadawala area to provide a solution for the age-old human-elephant conflict.

Renovation of tanks, construction of elephant fences, and renovation of roads will be carried out under this Sirisara Pivisuma project, which is implemented under the guidance of the President and with the assistance of Sri Lanka Army. The President’s Office has allocated Rs. 5 billion for this project, and at present, utilising this fund, 40 tanks have been renovated in the District.    

Unveiling the commemoration plaque and vesting of the reconstructed reservoir took place under the patronage of the President.

Then, at the ceremony which took place after that, the President presented Rs. 30 million worth of medical equipment for the Kantale Base Hospital to the Chief Medical Superintendent of the hospital, Dr. D. G. M Kostha.

The Chief Incumbent of North Eastern Province Ven. Polhengoda Uparathana Thero and Maha Sangha, Leader of Opposition R. Sampanthan, Member of Parliament Thuriyrathna Sigham, organiser for the Trincomalee Electorate Ariyawathi Galapaththi, and other members and public representatives of the Eastern Province, Secretary of Trincomalee District Nissanaka Pushpa Kumara, Director of President’s Special Projects Priyantha Pathirana, Director of Sirisara Pivisuma Project Brigadier Neranjan Ramanayake, Director of Constructions Major Chamika Jagoda, and other officers were present at this event.

Opposition Leader R. Sampanthan, speaking at the event, said that Sri Lanka has gained a leader that can make a country where people can live in prosperity, enjoying the benefits of peace and development.

The Opposition Leader also mentioned that under such leadership, the nation will march forward as an advanced nation.

Such a development process, which is operating on behalf of the poverty stricken people, could not be found in the country in earlier times, said the opposition leader, stating that everyone should equally contribute to that development program. Providing long-term solutions for the conflicts between elephants and people, the elephant fence built in the Gomarankadawala area as a pilot project with a length of 30km was opened by the President. The amount invested in this project was Rs. 21.2 million. This will enable reduction of damages caused by the elephant-human conflicts faced by the rural community. This was the first time where concrete beams were used instead of tree trunks to build the elephant fence and these beams were made by the Armed Forces.

Meanwhile, the water purification system which was built in Jayasumanaramaya in Trincomalee was also vested with the public by the President.

This water purification system was built at a cost of Rs. 1.5 million from the Monetary Fund of the Presidential Task Force on Prevention of Chronic Kidney and through the contribution of the human capital of Sri Lanka Navy in order to eradicate the risk of kidney disease in those areas.

Meanwhile, President Maithripala Sirisena, who went to Bhadrakali Ambal Kovil, obtained blessings, engaging in the religious rituals held there.

President Sirisena was warmly welcomed by the Kovil Kurukkala Chief So Rahchchandra.