East on par with South soon - Dissanayake

By P. Krishnaswamy

With polls to the Eastern, North Central and Sabaragamuwa PCs only two weeks away, all political parties contesting the polls have intensified their campaigns. While campaigns are progressing well for the North Central and Sabaragamuwa PCs, the focus of all, including that of the international community, is on the Eastern Province where there is a three-pronged fight among the ruling UPFA, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC).

The Sunday Observer talked to some of the candidates fielded by the main political parties to find out their future programs with regard to the PC administration and why they want to be returned to power in the PCs. A majority of the candidates said that it is imperative that the UPFA be returned to power for peace and brotherhood among the communities to prevail and the ongoing development programs of the government to continue. They also said that people of the province experienced communal harmony after three decades and also enjoyed the fruits of the development projects.

Here are excerpts of the views of the candidates:

Wimalaweera Dissanayake (SLFP), ex-Minister of Education, who represented the Ampara electoral district:

“The major development programs launched by the UPFA administration in the PC have begun to bear fruit and there is the need for these programs to continue. Infrastructure development, including road networks, are in place on an historically unprecedented level.

“Many remote parts of the province which could earlier be reached only after several hours of tedious travel through circuitous roads and ferries across waterways can now be reached on carpeted roads in a comparatively short time. The road networks have connected Vakarai, Batticaloa, Kinniya, Trincomalee and many other important places in the province.

“Education standards have hit a all time high. Vakarai is to have the biggest educational centre. The GCE (O/L) results in Batticaloa were better even than the results of the Colombo Zone. Irrigation tanks have been renovated and livelihood facilities have been provided to all communities. Electricity has been provided virtually to all rural areas.

“The Provincial Council, after its establishment in May 2008, has been able to do good work because brotherhood and communal harmony was restored by the government. These development works have to continue for the province to be brought on par with the other provinces of the south in terms of livelihood facilities, economy, social welfare, education and health.

“The TNA campaigns are based on unrealistic goals. They gave to the people only death, bloodshed and distress all along. They should not be allowed to disrupt the peace and harmony prevailing in the province.”

M.S. Subair, former Minister of Health in the Eastern PC, contesting the Batticaloa District on UPFA’s betel symbol on behalf of the All Ceylon Muslim Congress (ACMC) led by Minister Rishad Bathuideen:

“Over 125 hospitals coming under the purview of the PC have been provided with maximum facilities and there has been tremendous improvement in the health sector.

Specially there has been marked improvement in the sanitary facilities and health facilities against infectious diseases, including the dengue eradication program.

“Successful programs were launched in Trincomalee, Ampara, Nindavur and other areas to bring dengue under control. New hospitals have been set up in places where people have been resettled. Awareness programs have been launched to educate the people on the hazards of underage marriages and unplanned pregnancies.

“Awareness programs on preventing or keeping in control diabetes have been launched. The province has been elevated to the sixth place in comparison to the other provinces in the health sector. The cooperative sector, dairy farming industry and agriculture have been given priority and much progress has been made in these sectors. The tourism industry has also been given a boost with the tourist flow having increased manyfold. I am confident that the UPFA will win with an overwhelming majority.

“Uthuma Lebbe, a former Minister of Road Development, Irrigation, Housing and Construction, contesting on the UPFA betel symbol on behalf of the National Congress (NC) led by Minister A.L.M. Athaullah:

“In the four years of the PC administration, with the support and cooperation of the Chief Minister and the concerned Ministers of the Central Government, we were able to do a lot of development work to bring the province on par with the other provinces of the south. The province is now almost on an equal footing with the other provinces.

“This became possible because of the establishment of the PC. Communal harmony and brotherhood among the different communities have been restored after the establishment of the separate PC. The TNA is demanding the North-East re-merger and wants the people to endorse it by voting for them. The SLMC is also voicing for the North-East re-merger.

“The present SLMC leadership is dishonest and opportunistic unlike its founder leader M.H.M. Ashraff. The TNA and the SLMC are mere talk-shops and they cannot do anything for the benefit of the people.

“The prevailing communal harmony and peace in the province will be jeopardised and a hazardous situation leading to demands for the re-merger of the North and East would emerge if they are returned to power. The people are strongly opposed to a re-merger. They have tasted the fruits of development and peace under the independent Eastern PC.

“The East is a very fertile province, endowed with many natural resources, capable of generating its own funds for the PC administration, without depending on the central government.

There are the ilmenite factory and the the cement factory. It is the highest rice producing region and the fisheries sector is also very productive. “The demographic percentage of all three communities are almost equal and they live in harmony and amity.

The Muslim community will vote for the ruling UPFA’s betel symbol. I am sure we will be returned to power with an overwhelming majority.”

R. Thurairatnam, TNA candidate contesting the Batticaloa district:

“I was member of the North-Eastern PC and chairman of the Porativu Pradeshiya Sabha. I was councillor of the Batticaloa MC and polled the highest preferential votes. The PC system was introduced by way of a solution to the Tamils’ grievances.

“The Tamils’ non-violent and armed struggles have failed and we now only have the PC as a platform to bring our problems and grievances to the notice of world. The PC will be a base for the Tamils’ struggle to get power devolution.

“The TNA will take advantage of the powers of the PC to provide relief to the families that were affected in the operations against terrorism. We will expose the central government’s wrong approaches to the Tamils’ grievances and, through the PC, we will make efforts to get just solutions.”

Thurayappa Navaratnarajah, former Minister of the Eastern PC, contesting the Trincomalee district on the UPFA’s betel symbol on behalf of the Thamil Makkal Viduthalai Puligal (TMVP) led by former Chief Minister Sivaneshathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan:

“We have intensified our propaganda campaigns village by village in the Trincomalee district and we have observed that the people are very enthusiastic in taking in the election meetings and the upcoming elections. We look forward to being returned to power with a greater mandate, than in the last PC polls.

“We have provided livelihood facilities and everything else within the purview of the PC for the benefit of the people without any political, communal or religious differences.

The people know it. Under the guidance and assistance of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Minister Basil Rajapaksa and all other concerned Ministers of the central government, livelihood facilities, infrastructure facilities and major development works have been implemented in the eastern province.

“The TNA leaders have the reputation of having deceived the Tamils for 62 long years, misleading them and causing them untold suffering. Because of them the Tamils are lagging behind socially and economically.

This has to be corrected and we are trying to do it in the Eastern Province.

The Government has already implemented several mega development projects in the province. Much more is to be done. I am sure the people will join hands with the Government.”

Azath Sally, former Deputy Mayor of the Colombo Municipal Council contesting the Batticaloa district on the SLMC ticket:

“Garbage is rotting in the streets of Kathankudy in Batticaloa and the stench is unbearable.

Each family is required to pay Rs.100 every time the garbage collectors come for garbage collection.

There is no place for dumping garbage. The situation is worse when it rains. No development work has been done in Kathankudy and Batticaloa. Only selected places have been earmarked for development work.

Our party chairman Basheer Segu Dawood has already resigned as Deputy Minister.

We want all Muslim parties to unite to defend the rights of the community.”