http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2013/02/17/fea04.asp

 

President Rajapaksa assures Northerners a better life

By K.T. Rajasingham

President Mahinda Rajapaksa pours pan on a Bo-tree

President Mahinda Rajapaksa said that he will give everything to the people of the Northern Province. He said whether people appreciate or not , that was his vision, mission and foremost duty. President Rajapaksa said that people should appreciate whatever that is given and then only ask for more.

He also said that people should appreciate what the Government is doing for them.

Speaking about the freedom that is now available, the President said, “The biggest gift we were able to give is the ability for people to live freely once again. Our most loved treasure is our children, and there was a time when parents had to hide their children to protect them. We should all work to protect this freedom.”

President Rajapaksa on his way to Colombo after the completion of his two-day visit to Jaffna, visited a grap farm on the Keerimalai - Mawiddapuram road on the invitation of Minister Douglas Devananda.

Meeting grape farmers

On arrival at the farm, he not only went around to see the cultivation but also spoke with the owners and inquired about grape cultivation.

At the farm, he also met over 150 grape farmers and inquired about their problems.

President Rajapaksa offers flowers at the Nagadeepa Vihara.

They told the President about their problems regarding electricity, scarcity of water, loan facilities they presently experience. The President instructed the Governor and Minister Douglas Devananda to look into the problems of farmers.

In the Jaffna district alone, for the cultivation of grapes, subsidies were already given to 269 families by the Provincial Council. As more farmers have shown interest in the cultivation of grapes and other cash crops in the newly released lands by the Security Forces in the Valikamam East region, President told the Governor to prepare a program so that it might help farmers who are in those newly released lands in the Valikamam East region.



Governor of the Northern Province, G.A. Chandrasri, Tellipalai Divisional Secretary Sri Mohan, Deputy Agriculture Director Sivakumar and the other Government officials participated in the discussions.

President Rajapaksa met Jaffna civil society representatives and discussed about the development projects that are being undertaken in the Jaffna district.


Nearly 30 civil society representatives participated in the discussions and they touched on subjects such as people being displaced, resettlement of people, educational facilities, electricity and livelihood issues.

Meeting civil society representatives

Civil society representatives thanked the President for the development activities undertaken under his leadership in Jaffna and also pointed out some new development activities that should be launched in the Jaffna district.

Religious leaders, lawyers, medical doctors, educationalists, traders, social workers, representatives of coconut, palmayra and fisheries associations participated in the discussions.

Civil Society representatives said that discussion with President Mahinda Rajapaksa was fruitful and it paved way for creating goodwill among people in Jaffna.

Ministers Douglas Devananda, Maithripala Srisena, Governor G.A. Chandrasri, Deputy Chairman of Committees Murugesu Chandrakumar MP and Silvestri Alantin UPFA parliamentarian participated in the discussion.

Opening building complex

President Rajapaksa opened 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 Japan for funding the project.

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 a fully-equipped hospital.

President Rajapaksa said the services of the hospital are not limited only to the people in the Jaffna peninsula and encouraged all the people in the north to use the facility.

“What was destroyed for 30 years, we are rebuilding again,” the President said as he called upon medical professionals to work towards protecting the facility.

The President said, “The biggest gift we were able to give is the ability for people to live freely once again. There was a time when parents had to hide their children to protect them. We should all work to protect this freedom.”

Courtesy: Asian Tribune

President Rajapaksa visits the Thirupathi Venkatachalapathi Temple in Jaffna.	President Rajapaksa visits the Thirupathi Venkatachalapathi Temple in Jaffna.
President Rajapaksa opens the building complex of the Jaffna Teaching Hospital.	President Rajapaksa commissions the Uthuru Jananee power station in Jaffna.
President Rajapaksa arrives at the venue to open the building complex of the Jaffna Teaching Hospital.
	Pix by Sudath Silva
President Rajapaksa speaks to farmers in Jaffna.