The newly appointed SLFP General Secretary Prof. Rohana Lakshman Piyadasa said he was confident that he would be able to rebuild the SLFP from the bottom up in a productive manner and in a short time, under the new reform process begun under the able leadership of President Maithripala Sirisena.
He was addressing a press conference after assuming duties of his new post at the SLFP headquarters in Colombo, yesterday. Minister Duminda Dissanayake who earlier relinquished the post of General Secretary, assumed duties as the party’s new National Organiser at the same ceremony.
Prof. Piyadasa said since the country’s leaders at the time it gained independence failed to fulfil the aspirations of the people, the late Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike formed the SLFP to fill that void. After forming a people’s movement by rallying the five forces, the Maha Sangha, physicians, farmers, teachers and workers together, he gave it leadership and put forward a programme to heed their voice.
Thereafter, it was the SLFP which was responsible for making the free education system meaningful, strengthening the production economy and protecting the agriculture sector. The SLFP also masterminded the Paddy Lands Act which strengthened the farming population. It was the SLFP which brought the small-time farmer, technician, and businessmen to the forefront of the economy.
The SLFP, which is a people-based party, would show its gratitude to the masses by reforming and rebuilding it to gain power once again. He said they hoped to resolve all complex problems in a short time under the new office-bearers appointed on a temporary basis.
The newly appointed SLFP National Organiser Minister Duminda Dissanayake said they would all lend their unstinted support to the newly appointed SLFP General Secretary to introduce new party reforms. They were confident of the success of this transformation. He said their detractors were expecting the SLFP to be torn apart on Sunday. But ultimately all their hopes were shattered, since the SLFP was a party strong enough to weather all storms.
The SLFP reforms were being made with the objective of ensuring the re-election of President Sirisena at the next Presidential Election and also ensuring the party’s victory at both the forthcoming Provincial Council Election and the General Election.
He said he would request all SLFPers to rally round the party, eschewing petty differences and personal enmities. Since former President Mahinda Rajapaksa too has been appointed to the Party Advisory Committee amidst all problems, everyone was interested to see whether he would accept it.
He said the new Party General Secretary Prof. Piyadasa has given the party support from behind the scenes from the time of the late Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike.
SLFP Vice President Angajan Ramanathan, Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, Deputy Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanne, Parliamentarian W.D.J. Seneviratne, Western Province Chief Minister Isura Devapriya and several other ministers, MPs, provincial council and local council members and their families were also present on the occasion.
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