What next in the East after elections

by Ananda KANNANGARA

When the `Sunday Observer’ asked people of their opinion about the pledges made by some Government ministers during the election campaign in the East, a University lecturer in the Eastern Province, Arunalanthan Selvaraja requested those parliamentarians, not to deceive poor voters every time, and try to fulfil the pledges they made.

He said parliamentarians are generally in the habit of making unbelievable pledges during election campaigns, but they never fulfil the majority of them after achieving their ultimate goal of winning the election.

“Therefore, I earnestly appeal to the Parliamentarians and other Government authorities not to shatter the expectations of innocent voters and take steps to carry out development activities as they promised.

Ven. Kotte Amarakitthi Thera of Trincomalee said that infrastructure facilities such as medical centres, schools for rural areas, low income housing projects, roads for remote areas and drinking water projects were ungently needed for people in the Trincomalee District.

“Therefore, I urge the Government to take steps to provide these facilities as they promised during the last election period”.

Inspector of Police, Supun Samaradivakara of Ambalangoda said that he was on official duty at Ampara in the election period and found the majority of the people, especially hundreds of displaced people in Ampara were leading a very pathetic life due to lack of housing and sanitary facilities.

“Therefore, I like to ask the Government Ministers and other officials to go back to Ampara and listen to the grievances of people there.”

Medical student in the Colombo University, Chathurika Bopearatchchi said she was in Batticaloa during that period and two foundation stones were laid in the District by two ministers three days prior to the election, promising that a community centre and another buildings would be constructed in due course.

“I would like to tell these two ministers nobody was there after the election and therefore make arrangements to expedite the construction work of the community centre and the other building.” Housewife, Kamaleen Sinnadurai of Mattakkuliya said she was happy with the election results and requested the Government to develop the area with foreign assistance.

“I do not think the Government will be able to handle all development work alone and therefore, I suggest to invite foreign investors to start industries”.

School teacher, Karunawathi Wijesinghe of Weliveriya said she was on official duty in Trincomalee six months ago and said the education sector has been deteriorating due to lack of educational equipment in some schools.

“I would like to ask the Education Minister Susil Premajayantha to visit the schools in the East and look into the requirements of children”. Attorney-at-Law, Rohan Shanmuganathan of Gampaha said that he was a practising lawyer at Ampara two years ago and found the majority people had no houses of their own and no proper income for their livelihoods.

“Ampara is an agricultural district, but majority farmer families were not in a better financial position to cultivate their lands continuously”.

Mr. Shanmuganathan also asked the authorities to introduce a credit facility scheme to farmers.

Mohamad Izzadeen of Ampara and now living in Maradana asked the Government to appoint a special body representing only the Muslim community, since they only can identify the problems of the Muslim community.

Ranjana Chathuranga of Rambukkana said I request the Government to appoint a special competent authority to look into the needs of people and take steps to develop the province by commencing new industrial sectors with foreign collaboration.

Mercantile sector employee Rajitha Wijeratna said, “I request the Government to hold ministerial conferences every week in these three provinces, so that, people can make their grievances as well as proposals to carry out future development activities”.

Private sector worker, Sajith Atukorala wants the Government to take immediate steps to set up new housing schemes and start the resettlement process of displaced persons. He said more people will arrive in their vacated houses if the resettlement process is carried out as early as possible

Pix: Vipula Amarasinghe