Opposition election promises not ideal for country – President

Many promises could lead to economic collapse

Free bees won’t solve country’s economic issues

Govt’s programme must prevail to ensure stability

President Ranil Wickremesinghe warned that although the Opposition’s promises might appeal on the political stage, implementing them could lead to another economic collapse.

Speaking at a meeting at the Hindu Cultural Hall, Trincomalee, organized by MP Kapila Athukorala, the President emphasized the need for the government to continue its current economic programme to drive the country forward.

Highlighting the importance of a robust economy for effective politics, President Wickremesinghe assessed superficial solutions like distributing free shoes, asserting they won’t address the country’s underlying economic issues.

Addressing the gathering, President Ranil Wickremesinghe further elaborated that; “I don’t need to remind you of the state our country was in back then.

Homes were set ablaze, and threats were made to keep people from returning to their villages. But in July 2022, we united to recover our country. Ministers and MPs joined our efforts and by 2023, we had restored the economy to a stable condition.

“We have now emerged from bankruptcy, and during this time, we implemented various programmes including “Aswesuma” to provide relief to the people. The “Urumaya” programme, which offers freehold land deeds, was also rolled out.

“We’ve taken steps to grant ownership of homes to the 250,000 people living in Colombo flats and to establish new villages in the estates. Additionally, numerous educational scholarship programmes were introduced for schoolchildren. What seemed impossible when the country was not bankrupt, we achieved even as a bankrupt nation. This success was possible because we all worked together and protected the government. It is crucial that we continue to safeguard the government moving forward.

“We successfully negotiated with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and our creditor countries, securing a repayment timeline until 2042. However, if we breach the terms set by the IMF, we risk losing these concessions,” he said.

The Opposition is now discussing their plans if they come to power. If implemented, these plans could lead to another economic collapse. This is why it’s crucial for us to unite and win the Presidential Election.

“We must build a future for our youth. Our main issue is the lack of foreign exchange to cover import costs, forcing us to rely on loans. If this continues for a decade, the economy could collapse again in 15 years. Thus, we need an economic transformation focused on exports. Starting new projects and focusing on this strategy over the next five years is essential to moving the country forward.

“Will providing free shoes alone solve this country’s problems? Funding is necessary even for something as simple as distributing shoes. We all need to come together. To engage in politics effectively, the country needs a stable economy. Our neighbours might be in Podujana Peramuna, while the people in the next house support the United National Party.

“Who would hesitate to take on the role of Prime Minister if asked? Is there a country where the position of Prime Minister is up for grabs? My friend Anura Kumara Dissanayake was nowhere to be found, but we accepted the challenge and worked on developing the country. The Trincomalee district has received special attention in this development programme.

“For four years, the youth of this country didn’t have job opportunities. We have now secured new projects for each province. Discussions with the Government of India are underway regarding the development of the Trincomalee port, and there are plans to establish an oil refinery in Trincomalee as well.

“We also aim to develop this area into an energy hub. Around 1,000 acres have been set aside for establishing an industrial park, and new plantations are planned for the Kantale area. The agricultural modernisation program has great potential for success in this Eastern province. We are currently implementing initiatives like dairy husbandry and the modernisation of the fishing industry.

Additionally, we plan to boost tourism to enhance the country’s economy, with a target to increase tourist arrivals from 2.5 million to 5 million. We intend to establish tourist zones across various locations, from Arugam Bay to Jaffna. The area features a beautiful beach that we should leverage to promote tourism.

Funds have been allocated for the development of Hingurakgoda airport, and we must advance this progress. Simply coming to these areas and making noise achieves nothing. To truly develop the country, we need to put in the work. This lesson is drawn from President Jayewardene’s politics, where it took 30 years to complete what was initially planned for 10 years in the Mahaweli project, resulting in the creation of two trade zones. By uniting our efforts, we can accomplish much more than before. We need to adopt a new approach, and it’s important to recognise that our collective independence and cooperation is a significant step forward.

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