UNP has achieved lot more than MR during shorter period, says Kabir

Development under the UNP Government has been fast in delivery and inclusive, Highways and Road Development Minister Kabir Hashim claimed yesterday, saying the work carried out by the Mahinda Rajapaksa administration denied some communities even basic human rights.

“It is a well and widely-known fact that the residents were chased out from their homes when roads were constructed by the Mahinda Rajapaksa Government. This happened even at Hematgama, along the Kegalle-Avisawella Road. Even compensation was not paid to the victims who lost their homes. Neither were they given houses,” he said, speaking at an event to commence construction on the 3.5 kmGadaldeniya Paranapattiya Road in the Udunuwara electorate. 

The Minister said that the present government had already paid Rs.65,000 million and Rs. 43,000 million as compensation for 14,700 plots of land. No person was displaced from their homes or chased out, Hashim declared. 

The Minister also stressed that the public should compare the work done by the United National Partywith the work completed during Rajapaksa’s14 years in office. 

“You don’t need to look far, only compare what we have done and what was done during Mahinda Rajapaksa’s 14 years in office. During his entire reign, only 169 m of highway was constructed whereas during just our three years in power, the present government constructed 219 km of Highway,” highlighted Hashim.

Further, the Minister said that it was by comparing and contrasting that the people could learn the true picture. Construction work on the 3.5 km GadaldeniyaParanapattiya Road in the Udunuwara electorate commenced last week.

Under the road development program the Government has planned to develop 3,130 km of rural roads apart from highway development. 

He said that it was because of the colossal foreign debt of Rs. 7, 400 billion which was passed on to the government of Ranil Wickremesinghethat the value of the rupee had depreciated. The present government is not the author of this burdensome legacy, rather it is only an unfortunate inheritor, the Minister emphatically stated.