Transport, Highways and Mass Media Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardhana speaking at the official inauguration ceremony of the road development projects to be implemented in Homagama by the Ministry of Transport and Highways.
Hewagam Korale Chief Sanganayake Shasthrapathi, Ven. Madowita Wajirabuddhi Thera said yesterday that Transport, Highways and Mass Media Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardhana is a ‘Kapruka’ a pillar of strength and a great blessing to the entire Homagama area bringing about great development in the region.
A very valuable economic development and educational development has been created in the Homagama region compared to other districts and other regions of the country, the Ven. Thera said.
“He deserves our respect and blessings for bringing many unique development projects including six universities, Mahinda Rajapaksa Vidyalaya and Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium, to Homagama, which has already attracted international attention,” the Ven. Thera said.
“Fifteen years ago, about an amount of Rs. 8 million that he personally received was distributed to eighty Dhamma schools in Homagama. A group of over ten thousand schoolchildren were called to Homagama and given exercise books and Dhamma school uniforms. But these things were not properly publicised through the media.”
“No matter how much good charitable people do for the country, no one pays attention to it. In such a situation, we should appreciate the great work done by Dr. Bandula Gunawardhana for this area. He has committed himself to get more of the projects that are being implemented across the country to the Homagama area and to make this area a ‘Prajna Bandu’ town. A new path has been opened for high school students through the introduction of the Technology stream to the G.C.E A/L. Thousands of students have entered the job market through these opportunities.
“We should appreciate the mission he is currently engaged in even by not taking state property for personal use, donating even his salary to other social welfare activities and implementing a scholarship programme for his birthdays.
“We believe that he is committed to creating a modern road system that operates in developed countries and a comfortable transportation system in our country as well.”
Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardhana said the country had to face a big economic crisis. All foreign reserves were depleted. Some political forces, including the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, created hatred among the people affected by this situation. The situation grew to the extent of a grand plan to create anarchy in the country. There was no one to take over the country at that moment. While everyone was hiding in fear, Ranil Wickremesinghe, who had long experience in politics and held the position of Prime Minister five times, took over the Presidency. As a result of the negotiations he conducted with the International Monetary Fund, the comprehensive loan agreement was made effective until 2027, and the country got a chance to breathe again.
“As a country, we must act according to the agreements reached with the International Monetary Fund and other foreign countries to gain international credibility and show that we are responsible citizens who are ready to pay back the foreign loans obtained. The conditions contained in it must be fulfilled,” the Minister said.
“To maintain the country without falling, a specific programme has been prepared to become a developed country by 2048. Regardless of who becomes the President of the country and whoever comes to power, the amount of outstanding debt in Sri Lanka as a percentage of the Gross Domestic Product should be less than 95 percent by the year 2032.
“It is not possible to print money no matter how much it is needed.
“Foreign loan premiums and interest cannot exceed 4.5 percent of Gross Domestic Product. A bill called the Economic Transformation Bill has been submitted to Parliament to be enacted as a law,” the Minister said.
He was addressing the official inauguration ceremony of the road development projects to be implemented in Homagama by the Ministry of Transport and Highways with foreign loan assistance was held in Homagama recently under the Chairmanship of the Transport, Highways and Mass Media Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardhana.
Under this, development of the Walgama to Diyagama road, which is being implemented with OPEC loan assistance, and the Homagama to Godagama road, which is being operated with the Saudi government loan assistance, were started under the leadership of Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardhana.
Simultaneously, the Homagama – Pitipana intersection, which was expanded and developed under the loan assistance of the Asian Development Bank, was also handed over to the people by the Minister of Transport, Highways and Mass Media, Dr. Bandula Gunawardhana.
Under this project, the pedestrian platform has been widened and developed in such a way as to ensure the safety of pedestrians by reducing the heavy traffic in the intersection and the intersection has been modernised in a way that traffic can be exchanged in a more orderly manner. At the same time, the colour signal system at the intersection has also been modernised and installed.
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