Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Presidential Candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa said that if he is elected President, he will build a safe and secure country by implementing a legal framework that will enable the Intelligence Units to perform their duties properly. This will be done by rebuilding the mentality of War Heroes and intelligence officials which was undermined by the present Cabinet by imprisoning them at random at the beck and call of foreign nations and NGOs.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa was addressing a SLPP Presidential election rally at the Wilgamuwa Pradeshiya Sabha playground on October 27.
Rajapaksa further said Opposition Leader and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa gave pride of place to agriculture in his government’s development effort. “Agriculture which is the occupation of almost 70 percent of the people which is interwoven with our culture,” he said.
Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said his election manifesto included policies to develop agriculture and to enrich the lives of the people by making the country self sufficient in the staple diet.
“Food security was a prime principle of their policy,” he said.
He had also promised to provide free fertilizer to farmers and write off their agriculture loans. Their policy also envisaged to maximise productivity and increase farmer income by using new technology. Apart from paddy, other crop industries too would be boosted under his administration.
“The Mahinda Rajapaksa Government also ended a thirty year war and took measures to prevent another eruption of war by strengthening the Security Forces and intelligence outfits,” he added. Gotabaya Rajapaksa said the present government had miserably failed to give pride of place to national security.
“The Cabinet of Ministers had neglected the National Security aspect by succumbing to foreign and NGO influence. All sectors in the country including professionals, intelligentsia, entrepreneurs, farmers, industrialists, and Tourism had registered a sharp downturn due to the policy and programme of the government. That was the reason why the people throughout want the country were rallying against the government enmasse,” Rajapaksa said.
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