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| Sunday, 20 October 2002 |
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PA Govt. made people debtors, says Minister by S.M. Jiffrey Abdeen, Kandy South group correspondent "During the tenure of office of the People's Alliance Government for seven years, there was corruption and mismanagement in State institutions which has made every citizen of the country indebted in a sum of Rs. 53,000 which has to be paid." The Ceylon Electricity Board, Ceylon Petroleum Corporation and Sathosa (CWE) which were once profitable ventures, had ended up as loss making institutions. These losses would have to be met through the taxes paid by the people which could be otherwise put to better use, stated Minister of Central Region Development and Kandy District MP Tissa Attanayake. He was speaking at a rally after the inauguration of the Rural Electrification Scheme at Hapugaha Ela in the Tumpane electorate, which was funded by the Kandy Peasantry Commission and the Ministry funds. The Hapugaha Ela Rural Electrification Scheme would benefit 250 families in the remote villages and also provide them with an uninterrupted supply of power. Minister Tissa Attanayake said that both the people of the North and the South were eagerly looking forward to a permanent, peaceful solution as the ethnic war had drained the resources of the country apart from claiming lives and causing destruction to property. But some politicians were trying to portray a different picture to the public and derail the peace process. If there was an election again, it would be a wasteful expenditure and the people would have to bear the cost, he said. Minister Attanayake said that the present government had made a study of the loss-making corporations and taken meaningful steps to reverse their misfortunes so that they would not be a liability to the general public. There would be no political interference in these corporations. They would be operated in a manner that they would be of utmost service to the public who should benefit by it. The Minister also said that since Minister Karu Jayasuriya assumed office as the Minister of Power, he had ensured that there was an uninterrupted supply of power in areas where earlier there were only electric posts. This action of providing an uninterrupted supply of power to the people was our national policy. The reservoirs which were empty during the past seven years now had water in them which was a sign of prosperity. Today, the country was once again marching towards development and to reap the full benefits there should be peace in the country. People had suffered enough in the past and they should not be made to suffer again. The meeting was also addressed by Central Provincial Council member W. Senaratne Banda, Thumpane Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman W.M. Kulasuriya and several others. |
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