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| Sunday, 6 November 2005 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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UNP to
pursue clearing blocked US $ 4.5 b. - Kabir Hashim
by Ananda Kannangara
Kegalle District UNP MP Kabir Hashim in an interview with the Sunday Observer said that the UNP is confident that they would be able to obtain the sum of 4.5 billion US dollars, pledged at the Tokyo Donor Conference Meeting in 2003 and assured that this money could be utilised for the country's development activities in the coming years. Below are excerpts of the interview: Question: During the former UNP regime, 51 countries pledged a whopping US $ 4.5 billion to Sri Lanka at the Tokyo Donor Confab to carry out development programs, especially in the North and East. But we have come to understand that this money has not yet been granted. Whats your comment on this?. Answer: This was a pledge, approved by the international community to reconstruct the whole country after commencing peace talks with the LTTE under a peaceful atmosphere. But the present Government was unable to obtain this money because of their inability to commence peace talks as well as to create a peaceful atmosphere in the country. Q: How do you propose to get this amount released, under a UNP Government? A: First we must look at the upcoming election. We have confidence of victory. Thereafter our leader Ranil Wickremesinghe will definitely commence peace talks with the LTTE within a United Sri Lanka. Our objective is to form a federal system of Government. So that this situation will definitely open the eyes of the international community and we will be able to obtain the relevant pledge of US dollars 4.5 billion or even more than that. Q: Do you think that US dollars 4.5 billion is enough to carry out development activities in the country, especially when you have to focus special attention on the activities in the North and East? A: Even Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse recently asked how our leader will fulfil all his pledges with the US dollars 4.5 billion. As you are aware the UNP is expecting a massive amount of US dollars nine billion and this amount will immensely help us to carry out our task. Q: A large number of tsunami affected houses are not yet completed and the people are still living in temporarily erected houses. How does the UNP expect to complete all tsunami affected houses within a period of six months as promised by your leader? A: Our leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has leadership qualities. He is committed to do what he says. As he announced, he signed the Ceasefire Agreement with the LTTE and stopped the war. Even Sri Lankan President has admired it. Considering this our leader has envisaged the mechanism to complete all tsunami affected houses during a six month period. Q: The UNP has announced that 200,000 employment opportunities for the youth will be created during the first two years if elected to power. Can you comment on this? A: Like the previous UNP governments creating millions of new jobs in the free trade zones, the Mahaweli areas, the garment factories and also in the field of information technology, we have decided to create jobs in the public and private sector institutions. We have also identified 64 major projects at new industrial zones in the country. We will also find more foreign employment opportunities to Sri Lankans in the Middle Eastern and Western countries. We have also planned to grant bank loans to people to start self-employment projects. Q: What are the new programs the UNP has in mind to improve the health sector? A: Like the "Agrahara Medical Scheme" granted to the public sector, we have planned to implement a novel medical insurance scheme to all citizens in the country. Under this new health scheme people can even obtain medicine from private hospitals. Q: What are the benefits the UNP is expected to give the public servants? A: In addition to the one month salary bonus for public servants in December every year we expect to resolve all their salary anomalies. Unlike at present, pensioners will also be granted allowances that are time to time given to employees who are in the service. |
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