Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa goes North for “Discussion with the Village”. President says during the “Discussion with the Village”, “I always maintain that, the individual Gotabaya Rajapaksa is not important. What matters is the ideology and force that brough me here. We should protect that ideology. The aim of the false propaganda now being carried out by the hostile forces is to defeat this ideology. What I do is fulfilling the promises I made to the people” President Gotabaya Rajapaksa says.
President Rajapaksa says that he is building a green economy on the ruins of a collapsed economy that he inherited when he came in to the office despite the difficulties he has to face due to the Covid 19 pandemic. The President called on the people to find fault with him if he fails to provide solutions to the problems during his tenure.
The President made these remarks addressing the gathering at the opening of the 17th “Discussion with the Village” program held at the Bogaswewa Maha Vidyalaya premises in the Vedivaithyakallu Grama Niladhari Division of the Vavuniya North Divisional Secretariat Division in the Vavuniya District, Northern Province this morning (April 03).
- Solutions to water shortage in Vavuniya within a year …
- Issues affecting schools in the area resolved …
- Families offered children to Sasana are to receive benefits under 100,000 jobs scheme..
It’s not me but the ideology that brought me to power that matters …
All these protests are against this ideology….
Standard of imported consumer goods is always monitored ….
Fabricators of white vans, crocodiles and sharks are now spreading lies about environment ….
President Rajapaksa reflecting on the current discourse in the country stated that the standards of all goods imported for consumption is regularly inspected. The recent discovery of coconut oil unsuitable for consumption is a result of these inspections. The President stated that it is the responsibility of the relevant institutions to carry out continuous inspections and check the quality of consumer goods.
Explaining the role he played during period after coming into power, President noted that the palm oil cultivation which caused adverse effects to the environment was completely banned. With the recognition of healthy effects of coconut oil consumption, import of palm oil was completely put to a halt. Space for drug trafficking into the country has been largely closed. The relevant Units have been able to seize narcotic and other substances that are unfit to consume in their raids.
The groups that used to spread lies about white vans, crocodiles and sharks are now trying to propagate falsehoods and misconceptions with regard to the environment after their failure in the previous attempt. President Rajapaksa said that people should counter these organized local and foreign forces that circulate these falsehoods against him and his government in order to protect the ideology of the people that brought him to power.
Monks who have to take care of their parents are faced with the difficulty to observe their duties to Sasana. Therefore, the President says that he has decided to provide employment opportunities to the families who have offered their children for the Sasana under the 100,000 job scheme.
Listening to the grievances expressed by the people with regard to the shortage of water in the area, the President instructed the officials to take steps to resolve the issue which has been inconveniencing the people for decades in the Vavuniya District, within a year.
92% of the population in the district suffers from the shortage of clean drinking water. The water project will be implemented as an accelerated project at a cost of Rs. 60 billion. It was decided to restore all tube wells in the area and to implement a number of community water projects as immediate solutions.
The people pointed out that the shortage of teachers, buildings and desks in the schools in the district was a major problem that needed to be resolved soon. The President instructed the Ministry of Education to acquire information and statistics in this regard and allocate funds as required.
The “Discussion with the Village” programme commenced on September 25, 2020 from Badulla District. Thereafter programmes were organized covering Matale, Ratnapura, Anuradhapura, Ampara, Polonnaruwa, Kalutara, Moneragala, Kegalle, Kandy, Puttalam, Trincomalee, Kurunegala, Galle Nuwara Eliya and Matara districts. The idea behind this program is for the President to talk to the rural communities living in remote and difficult areas without intermediaries about their long-standing unresolved problems and to present them directly to the officials in order to find solutions. Problems that can be solved on the spot are instantly addressed. The rest which takes time to deal with are noted down to find solutions later. The objective of the program is to reach out to the people of the village, understand their problems and find solutions giving considerations to their own suggestions.
Vedivaithyakallu Grama Niladhari Division is located about 38 km East and South of Vavuniya town bordering Padaviya and Kebithigollewa Divisional Secretariats and Nandimithra village in the west of the Anuradhapura district. Bogaswewa 1, Bogaswewa 2, Kambiliwewa, Wediwaithyakallu, Kovilpuliyankulama and Veheratenna villages belong to the Grama Niladhari Division. The village has a total population of 1520 comprising 478 families. Paddy and Chena farming are the main livelihood of the people.
President Rajapaksa arrived at Bogaswewa and from there he made it to Bogaswewa Maha Vidyalaya to attend the “Discussion with the Village” program. President Rajapaksa conversed with the people gathered on both sides of the road and inquired into the problems that ail them.
The President presented the two laptops donated by SLT Mobitel to Bogaswewa Maha Vidyalaya and Nedunkerni Maha Vidyalaya and the TV and the connection donated by Dialog Axiata to the principals.
Another objective of President Rajapaksa is to develop school library facilities in all areas where the “Discussion with the Village” programme is held. The President presented sets of books to schools under the programme “A generation empowered with knowledge”. Each school receives 500 books covering a number of subjects to assist students in their further education.
A programme to grant title deeds to the families who had been in possession of government lands without clear ownership started recently. President Rajapaksa symbolically presented title deeds for 5 families in Vavuniya North Divisional Secretariat Division during the discussion.
In addition, the President awarded three scholarships to study courses conducted by the Vocational Training Authority of Sri Lanka as well.
The Road Development Authority has been entrusted with the development of 37 km of by-roads in Bogaswewa and surrounding villages and 02 main bridges in the area.
The President advised to renovate 16 tanks in Bogaswewa village and 17 tanks including the Kivul Oya project.
The President said that temples in the area should be renovated preserving the archaeological heritage for future generations.
It was decided to build electric fences to protect the villages that are threatened by wild elephant intrusions.
The need to develop the Bogaswewa Primary Health Center for inpatient treatment was emphasized.
President Rajapaksa directed the officials to address the shortage of doctors, nurses and other staff members in the hospitals in the area and to meet the infrastructure and other requirements as well.
It was discussed in length on resolving the long standing land ownership disputes and facilitating the villagers to engage in agriculture activities.
Governor of the Northern Province P.S.M. Charles, Vavuniya District Parliamentarians Cader Mastan, Kulasingham Thileepan, People’s Representatives of the district, Principal Adviser to the President Lalith Weeratunga, Secretaries to Ministries, Heads of Government Institutions and the Security Forces participated in the “Discussion with the Village” program at Bogaswewa Maha Vidyala premises.
President’s Media Division