Officials follow Namal's sporty walk in Mulankavil

President Mahinda Rajapaksa made a fruitful visit to Jaffna early last week, further strengthening the confidence of the Tamil community in the Government's development activities and the measures taken for the well-being of the people living in the North and the East.

He met Jaffna civil society representatives and discussed the development projects that are being undertaken at present in the Jaffna district. He met 30 top civil society representatives of the Jaffna district at the Northern Province Governor's office, in Jaffna. They touched on subjects such as people being displaced due to unusual circumstances, resettlement of persons, basic educational facilities, electricity, livelihood, political solution and numerous other subjects.

Civil Society Representatives thanked the President for the mega development projects that had already been completed and those underway. The President said billions of rupees have been spent on infrastructure development projects in the two provinces, in the best interests of the people there.

The discussions between the President and the Civil Society representatives lasted well over one and a half hours. It paved way for creating goodwill in the midst of the Jaffna people and discussions of this nature would provide room for reconciliation and better understanding. The Civil Society representatives were of the view that the President is "very receptive and down to earth personality with good grasp and understanding".

The President declared open the Central Function Building Complex of the Jaffna Teaching Hospital. "We believe this facility will help people live healthier lives," President Rajapaksa said while thanking the Japanese people for funding the project through this massive donation. With a new Intensive Care Unit (ICU), a medical laboratory and a unit for cancer patients, the hospital is well on its way to becoming as fully-equipped as other top hospitals in the country.

The President spoke in mixed Sinhala and Tamil which impressed the Northerners. "What was destroyed for 30 years, we are now rebuilding again," the President said as he asked the medical professionals gathered at the function to work towards protecting this important facility.

President visits grape farms

President Rajapaksa, on his way to Colombo after the completion of his two-day visit to Jaffna, visited a grape farm on the Keerimalai-Mawiddapuram road. The President was accompanied by Minister Douglas Devananda.

A delighted President went around the farm to see bunches of grapes that were hanging on creepers. He also spoke to the owners and farmers and inquired about their grape cultivation.

Minister Devananda had made arrangements to get down more than one hundred fifty grape farmers to the place. The President inquired about the problems they encounter in cultivation.

They told the President about their problems regarding electricity, scarcity of water and difficulty in obtaining loan facilities. The President immediately instructed the Governor of the Northern Province G.A. Chandrasiri and Minister Douglas Devananda to look into the problems of those farmers.

While the President was touring Jaffna, Hambantota District parliamentarian and Chairman of Tharunyata Hetak, Namal Rajapaksa was busy touring Kilinochchi, Vavuniya and Mullaitivu. After various events in Vavuniya, Namal had to take a chopper ride to Kilinochchi as had another visit to Mullaitivu afterwards.

When the chopper carrying the young parliamentarian landed Mulankavil to open a new water supply project, he inquired how far is the venue is from where they landed. By that time, VIP vehicles and a special security escort was waiting to take the delegation to the venue. But when the organisers said it is about three quarter kilometres, he opted to walk. "Why don't we go by foot," Namal said and others followed him.

He walked fast and some officials found it hard to follow him at that speed. On their way to the venue, an official recalled that it was Namal who launched the construction work of the road they walking along. After opening the new water supply scheme, Namal looked at an organiser and asked how far was their 'next port of call' - the newly constructed hospital in Mulankavil. "It is a further walk of over three quarter kilometers," the organiser said. Then came the prompt reply from Namal, "Why don't we walk that stretch too,". The others had no option but to follow Namal's sporty walk.

The opening ceremonies of Mulankavil Hospital, Kilinochchi and Oddusudan Hospital, Mullaithivu took place under the patronage of Namal and other officials, including Deputy Chief of Mission for the US Embassy in Sri Lanka William Weinstein.

The latter said that the measures taken by the Government to uplift the livelihood of persons living in former terrorism-affected areas should be highly appreciated. "The development in the country and its speed of achieving development goals are also highly laudable," Weinstein said.

"America and Sri Lanka have had good relations from the past. No one can harm that relationship and friendship. We are always ready to support Sri Lanka to stand as a strong nation," he said. "We are ready to support the Sri Lankan government and all Sri Lankans," he said. Weinstein expressed these views participating in the opening ceremonies of Mulankavil Hospital, Kilinochchi and Oddusudan Hospital, Mullaithivu. The two hospitals have been established with US government aid.

It was Namal Rajapaksa who laid the first foundation stone for these hospitals in 2011 and also participated as the chief guest at the hospital's opening ceremonies.

"We suffered for over three decades due to terrorism. We could not send our children to schools due to the scourge of terrorism. We lived in fear and never thought that we would be able to live in peace," Mulankavil Rural Development Society Chairman P. Palan said. "Now we have all the facilities, our children are going to school and learning well. We know that their future will be bright. The whole credit for creating a peaceful Sri Lanka should go to President Mahinda Rajapaksa. "I would like to take this opportunity to thank President Rajapaksa on behalf of the residents of Mulankavil," he said.

He said they only fear the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) because the TNA members are visiting several powerful countries, including America from time to time and are trying to create a wrong image about Sri Lanka, before the international community. He requested the Deputy High Commissioner not to accept their criticism about Sri Lanka and not to take wrong decisions by listening to the TNA's complaints.

Ranil keeps Sajith in suspense

It seems that the Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has thought that the best way to tame overambitious Sajith Premadasa is to keep this reformist MP in suspense. Despite successive pledges by Sajith to fall in line with the party leadership and give up personal politics, Ranil doesn't seem to be willing to reappoint Sajith as the deputy leader of the UNP.

Ranil has abandoned his previous plan of appointing four deputy leaders to the UNP in a bid to devalue the post previously held by Sajith. It was said that Sajith too had refused to accept the post if it is to be shared by three others.

But Ranil is still not happy with the conduct of Sajith, who continue to indulge in his cash donation campaigns, despite being ordered to give up such personal agendas. Though Sajith had two successive meetings with party seniors, including a one with the UNP leader, the UNP Reformist group leader is forced be on hold as Ranil is not ready to reappoint him easily.

The appointment of the deputy UNP leader which was scheduled for last week was once again postponed, making Sajith to wait for some more time to know his fate in the party. Insiders say that the party leader is taking time and using all kinds of tactics to tame Sajith before his anticipated re-election. After Ranil strengthened his grip in the UNP, it seems that Sajith's reformist buddies have deserted him.

Party sources said that Ranil will not show any mercy to Kurunegala District UNP MP Dayasiri Jayasekera and Matara District UNP MP Buddhika Pathirana, who are facing a disciplinary hearing. As a result, the two reformist group MPs have been tight lipped during the past couple of months. There is a possibility of them being expelling from the party, in case they are found guilty of the charges.

If that happens, one cannot rule out the possibility of the duo joining Puttalam District UNP rebel MP Palitha Range Bandara, an ardent supporter of Sarath Fonseka. Range Bandara appears to be the only active politician who supports Fonseka at present after his own DNA parliamentarians Tiran Alles and Arjuna Ranatunga deserted him. Though Fonseka had the support of UNP leader Ranil and JVP leader Somawansa Amarasinghe during the former's unsuccessful 2010 presidential election campaign, the soldier turned politician is now in a complete political wilderness with no major political party willing to accommodate Fonseka.

PM on Western conspiracies

Prime Minister D M Jayaratne said last week that a conspiracy is being carried out in certain Western countries in recent times to stifle the economic progress of Asian countries. Under this conspiracy, plans have been drawn up to make Sri Lanka which is nurtured by pure Theravada Buddhism, a colony once again, he said.

Speaking at the Keerthi Sri Thejowarama Raja Maha Viharaya at Pallawela, Mulatiyana, Hakmana to present the Sannas Pathra and declare the viharaya a Sacred Area, Prime Minister Jayaratne said that there are over 11,200 temples in the island. "The government is unable to declare all the temples as sacred areas. After naming a Buddhist Centre as a sacred area, the intervention of the government for its development is enhanced," he said. "During the Sri Sambuddathva Jayanthi time, an islandwide program was implemented for the uplift of temples. Under this program, initiatives were taken to renovate many temples and develop infrastructure facilities in association with the temples. Our government was able to develop many temples in the North and the Eastern Provinces which were destroyed during the period of terrorism," the PM said.

"With the restoration of peace in the country, we have been assigned the responsibility of developing the country according to modern ideas. However, we should not forget that we will be subject to various pressures from Western countries, but we should not be worried about such pressures," the Prime Minister said.

GL says no SL issues on CHOGM agenda

External Affairs Minister Prof G.L. Peiris said in Dhaka on Thursday that there is absolutely no justification for introducing any issues relating to Sri Lanka into the agenda of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group. "Having regard to the substantial progress achieved by Sri Lanka in dealing with a variety of complex challenges since the advent of peace and also in view of the clearly formulated rules governing the scope of CMAG's role," he said.

He made these remarks in the course of a wide ranging discussion with Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. Dipu Moni at her Ministry during a two-day official visit to Bangladesh.

Prof. Peiris, who provided his counterpart in the government of Bangladesh with a detailed briefing on current developments in Sri Lanka, used the opportunity to inform her of the substance of the discussions which took place in Colombo during the visit by Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma to Sri Lanka last week. The Minister said that exercise of the good offices role of the Secretary-General was quite evident from the wide range of consultations which he had with representatives of the government, the diplomatic community and several statutory agencies. He pointed out that exhaustion of the good offices role of the Secretary-General is a condition precedent for any specific country situation to be included in the agenda of CMAG. This is clear from the rules relating to CMAG, adopted by the Commonwealth Heads of Government at their meeting in Perth, Western Australia, in October 2011.

Prof. Peiris told Dr. Moni that he had set out this position with clarity to Secretary-General Sharma in correspondence as well as at discussions in London and Colombo during the last few days. This had also been communicated, he said, through their High Commissioners in London to the Foreign Ministers of all nine countries which are members of CMAG.

Douglas says TNA following beaten track of LTTE

Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Minister Douglas Devananda is of the view that the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leaders are following in the footsteps of the LTTE in spreading falsehoods about the country.

"They travel from India to Geneva to concoct stories against the country", The minister said LTTE leaders were also in the habit of traveling in many countries and cities including Oslo and propagating falsehoods. They preferred to tarnish the country's image through fabricated accounts of events than solving their problems within the country," Devananda said.

Speaking at the Jaffna district special development committee meeting at Tilco City Hotel, the minister said he was dismayed that the TNA was totally blind to the development taking place in the Jaffna district.

"They are travelling from South Africa to North America and from India to Geneva rather than supporting the government's development endeavour," he said.

Minister Devananda said there will be no High Security Zones in the Jaffna Peninsula in the future and the presence of military personnel is as equal as in other districts in the country.

"In keeping with the government's policy, the military will be deployed in the Jaffna district as they are deployed in other districts," he said. Devananda said the TNA was intent on driving a wedge between the Security Forces and the people by highlighting the military presence in the district. "They want to instigate violence," he said. Minister Devananda said the people have to find a political solution acceptable to all through the Parliamentary Select Committee. "This solution should be found by us, not outsiders," he said.

The minister said the northern province was blossoming due to the courageous leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa.

The LTTE ravaged public and private properties and they did not spare places of religious worship, he said. He said the LTTE began attacking government troops from hospitals too.

Anura Yapa determined to achieve targets

New Petroleum Industries Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa is determined to achieve targets and increase efficiency in the petroleum industry. Measures have been taken to modernise the Sapugaskanda oil refinery on the instructions of the new minister.

Participating in a ceremony to welcome him, Minister Yapa said the ministry has taken measures to setup 10 new storage facilities at the Sapugaskanda oil refinery and lay new pipelines from Colombo to Sapugaskanda.

"Quick solutions are hard to achieve and the journey to develop the petroleum industry will be a rough one. As the minister, I will try my best to raise the level of efficiency at the CPC within a short period.

CPC workers get better benefits compared to other Corporations. Commitment and unity of employees are a must to achieve targets," the minister said.

Yapa said the main responsibility of the CPC is to import high quality fuel and distribute them for power generation and other purposes. "Consumer satisfaction is the prime objective of the CPC.

They expect high quality oil at a fairer price from the CPC," he said. Deputy Minister Sarana Gunawardane said the Petroleum Industries Ministry contributes 25-30 percent to the country's economy. Fuel is an essential item for the development in all other fields such as infrastructure, health and education, he said.