NWP needs bigger mandate for development - Ex-Chief Minister

Q: What is your point of view on the Government's decision to dissolve the North Western Province?

It is the most appropriate decision. There is no doubt about it. At a time when the Government has taken all the possible initiatives to provide relief to the general public, particularly with concern in bringing down the market prices of essential commodities, lowering petrol and diesel prices and providing relief to the farmers etc. These all took place in the backdrop of a strong war against terrorism. It is the correct time to see the people's response to the Government. With the withdrawal of JVP from us, though they came into power by contesting jointly with the UPFA, brought the Provincial Council into an unstable position. We can't even pass a Bill that is important to people. We want to comeback with a clear majority win. I'm sure we are going to win.

Q: What are the crucial problems your people are faced with?

Mainly the selling price reduction of coconut. North Western Province is well-known for its coconut cultivation and the largest among the other areas of the country. As the President imposed high taxes on imported oil varieties our coconut cultivators are definitely benefited. Within few days after this tax was imposed the selling prices of nuts increased. 90% of this province depends on agriculture and mainly paddy and coconut cultivation. So, this kind of national level policies are needed if we are to uplift the farmer.

Q: Many of the NWP's coconut estates are sold by real estate business groups. Isn't this a cause for the drop of nut production and the increase in the market price? What have you done about this problem?

Of course we don't have the authority to stop cutting down coconut trees. But this is very much restricted with regulations imposed on cutting down coconut trees.

The authority should be given from Central Environment Authority, Coconut Development Board as well as the Pradeshiya Sabha.

Q: What makes you confident that the people will rally round your party?

During the past we have fulfilled people's needs. The needs should be felt by people and they should agree with the implementations.

We brought up the education level just to be slightly second to the Western Province. We have provided text books, school equipment equally among all the schools in the province giving special attention to rural schools.

We implemented a properly planned teacher transfer system where the students will be benefited with adequate number of teachers.

Bringing up the levels of rural hospitals was another main task we focused on. For example we repaired the Kuliyapitiya Hospital at a cost of 70 million rupees. In addition, hospitals in areas like Dambadeniya, Katupotha, Puttalam, Chilaw and Marawila were developed to meet the demand of the public. For the farmers we have repaired and restored 66 minor tanks scattered all over the province.

Through the Human Resource Authority, we have provided rural people with soft loan schemes so that they can either start to build up their self-employment schemes. Transportation is another area which we were building up throughout our time period.

After discussions with the Minister of Transport we added 64 school buses to the bus network.

So basically, we have focused on improving the infrastructure of the province specially in the rural and under developed areas.

Q: How do you intend to reawaken your people and the area?

We worked on a well-organized five year plan. If our party gets elected to the Provincial Council we will further carry out sustainable development work according to a plan. And definitely we will continue the work with alterations when necessary.

Q: Going into the past development process, have we made mistakes during in recent history?

Well do as per the wish of our people. They must be happy about the work. If they will tell us that any work of progress is inappropriate we do not carry out that work further. We respect the opinion of the majority.

Q: What is your pledge to your people?

I promise a clear, transparent and simplified authority during our time if we get elected.