President tells meeting in Nuwara Eliya:

Many projects to improve plantation workers' lives

by P. Rajaratnam in Nuwara Eliya

Vast strides have been made in development to uplift the living standards of the plantation sector, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said recently.

The President was addressing the members of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and plantation workers at the new Town Hall in Nuwara Eliya on Thursday.

Addressing the gathering in both Sinhala and Tamil, the President said that he was of sound health and top physical condition and told the large audience that those who propagate false rumours were not in a position to keep pace with his running, or even in walking for that matter.

He also said the entire world now knows about the vast development strides the Government has undertaken at every nook and corner of the country in the larger interest of the people and its future generations, in keeping with the developing world.

Hence, he said, the forthcoming Local Government elections were important since through the local bodies, the rural sector could be developed to a large extent with the Central Government's support and cooperation.

He told the plantation workers that a million houses are to be constructed for them and more modern facilities have been undertaken in the plantation health sector. The plantation workers are fully aware of these facts, he said and added that new educational facilities have also been extended to their children.

Taking into consideration all these facts, the voters should ensure the resounding victory of the UPFA at the forthcoming elections, President Rajapaksa said.