Govt. rejects development policies that oppress and deprive people – President

The county has now reached a stage of rapid development and this should be continued for the benefit of the majority of people. The Government rejects development projects that oppress people and deprive them of the right to property, said President Mahinda Rajapaksa. President Rajapaksa was addressing the inaugural public rally for the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council election, at the Ratnapura Municipal Playground on Saturday (25).

The Government was not ready to cause obstacles to people who carry out their traditional industries without causing any harm to the environment. Similarly, it was the Government’s expectation to hand over the country to future generations as one that had carried out development while protecting nature and the environment, the President said, adding that the opposition that did not have realistic policies and is now engaged in seeking to drive fear among people by spreading falsehoods about the Kalu Ganga project. “It is time the opposition realised even now that the people cannot be misled by false propaganda of this type. The people of Sabaragamuwa who have always taken the progressive path would raise the United People’s Freedom Alliance to the highest position at the Provincial Council Elections on 8 September,” he said. A highlight of this rally was the crossing over two of strong activists of the UNP and an independent people’s representative of the Ratnapura District to the UPFA, due to their dissatisfaction with the ‘short sighted’ policies of the ppposition, and as support for the Government’s policies to develop the country. They were Imalpe Pradeshiya Sabha former Vice Chairman Ratnapala Waleboda, former UNP member of the Imalpe Pradeshiya Sabha Shantha Deshapriya Suduwella (who were also the UNP’s Ratnapura District Media Secretary and President of its Education Service Union). Rohana Sampath Samaratunga, Independent member of the Nivitigala Pradeshiya Sabha also crossed over to the UPFA.