President says assistance of all politicians needed to implement Govt’s development plans

President Maithripala Sirisena says people have to face disastrous situations like flooding and landslides because politicians focus only on their preferential voter base instead of development necessities.

He added that people had to face this situation because some politicians only work to get votes at the next election and they do not provide assistance to implement the development projects initiated by the Government.

President Sirisena said that after painful and tragic experiences like this all politicians should join together to implement the development plans of the Government while conveying the actual circumstances to the public.

He made these remarks while participating in a special District Coordination Committee meeting held at the Galle District Secretariat yesterday.

During the meeting, the President said that many years ago all the governments in power endeavoured to implement development plans for the Ratnapura, Kalutara and Galle districts after conducting feasibility reports. Those attempts were unsuccessful due to the intervention of some politicians.  

The President extended his gratitude towards all the media institutions, philanthropists and voluntary organisations for their contribution in providing relief measures for those affected by the torrential rain.  

The President inquired into the progress of the programs initiated to provide relief to affected communities in the Galle District and he instructed officials to carry out relief work continuously for those at welfare centres.

The President instructed the officials to promptly implement the program to rebuild houses as the affected people could not take shelter at welfare centres for a long period and further instructed the officials to identify priorities when implementing these relief measures. 

He also directed officials to take steps to supply the required water to clean the wells through water motors after the water level was low. He also instructed officials to obtain the medicines required for the people free of charge from the Divisional Health Director.

Furthermore, Sirisena said that the delivery of dry rations and other goods among the people must be done without the intervention of politicians. “Those activities should be carried out by the District Secretary and Government officers,” he said.

The President directed officials to provide a report on the urgent repairs necessary for damaged schools, hospitals and roads in the district. He stated that the reconstruction of partially-damaged houses should be done with the assistance of the security forces and Civil Security Department.

Ministers Vajira Abeywardena, Gayantha Karunathilaka, Chandima Weerakkody, deputy ministers Manusha Nanayakkara and Nishantha Muthuhettigama, Governor of the Southern Province Hemakumara Nanayakkara, Chief Minister Shan Vijayalal de Silva and the Secretary of Galle District joined this discussion.

The President, who met relief officers of the district, commended the service they had provided to the victims. In addition, Sirisena handed over a donation collected by the people for the flood victims to the Secretary of the Galle District. 

Ministers from non-affected areas appointed organisers for flood-affected electorates

President Maithripala Sirisena has appointed several ministers from areas unaffected by the floods as organisers for the flood relief work in affected electorates. 

They will coordinate the relief measures for victims. The ministers received their appointment letters from the President at the Presidential Secretariat. 

The newly-appointed organisers have the responsibility of carrying out coordination work of the programs launched to provide relief measures for people in the affected areas and to rebuild their livelihood.  

Following is the name list of the newly-appointed organisers: