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President vows to protect Jan 8 revolution
View(s):President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday declared that he would not allow family rule to prevail and reverse the achievements gained through the victory at the January 8 presidential election. He gave this assurance speaking at a public event to mark the laying of the foundation stone for the next phase of the Southern Expressway from Godagama in Matara to Hambantota.
President and ministers at the foundation-laying ceremony
The event was his first public appearance after he created a major political upheaval by his decision to give former President Rajapaksa, the man he defeated at the January 8 election, nomination to contest the August 17 general elections.
The President said crooks and corrupt people would not be allowed to rule the country and that ‘Yahapalanaya’ (good governance) would continue.
Referring to his victory at the January 8 election, the President said, “It was a victory for the people. It brought about a change which the country needed. The expectations of the people brought about through the silent revolution will not be shattered.
“I am not a person who came into politics suddenly. I count 49 years of political experience. Therefore any decision I take as the president of the SLFP, I assure you, will not harm the achievements gained through the January 8 victory.”
ChineseAmbassador Yi Xianliang addressing the ceremony said China’s Exim Bank would provide funds at a low interest rate for the highway extension project while the construction work would be carried out by companies such as the AVIC, CSCEC and China Harbour.
“If you want to develop, you have to build roads. This is a traditional saying in China. Infrastructure facilities are important for any country’s economic and social development, to produce a good environment for investment and to create employment. This is China’s experience and the experience of other countries which are fast developing,” he said.
“China has given 40 billion Yuan, which is Rs. 800 billion, to Sri Lanka of low interest. In addition to this China has given 10 billion Yuan as funds. A number of projects for the farming community were initiated by agencies of both countries,” he said, adding that these projects had created more than 10,000 technicians and thousands of jobs.
Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera and Highways Minister Kabir Hashim were also present.