Minister vows action against corrupt UNP candidates

Tuesday, January 23, 2018

Law and Order Minister Sagala Ratnayake warned all UNP candidates contesting the elections that in the event they are found guilty of corruption or fraud after the elections, action will be taken to initiate legal action against them and the party too would take disciplinary action against them.

The minister noted that the UNP has not fielded candidates who have committed offences such as having parties after raping women, tying government servants to trees, making teachers kneel before them, killing of foreigners and their fiancées etc.

He made this statement addressing an election rally held in the Bodeniya area in Kotapola, Deniyaya.

The minister added: “During the past three years we understood the value of the village government and that is the reason that the UNP was of the view that the LG elections should be held at the earliest. We wanted to hold the LG elections and expedite the government’s development plan. We want to bring good administration to the village and we have put together a good team. We have not included thieves or corrupt candidates. We have included candidates who have taken on responsibility and worked for the villages heading various positions. They are good community workers, but we expect them to continue to work with dedication and honesty even after they win and are appointed as members of the relevant provincial councils.”

Minister Ratnayake further said that having completed three years in governance, it certainly was not an easy journey. The country was dogged down by the debt burden and the cost of living had increased drastically. “In the past, there was a trend of reducing the price of goods before the election but increasing it further after the elections. The people were being cheated. Development was also sub-standard where after some time these new constructions were crumbling. Luckily, this road had not been constructed by them. If it was, then, we would have had double work in having to first remove the old concrete before renovating the road. I witnessed the concreted Ketawala road where the concrete is coming off in chunks and the road is now impassable. This was the kind of development that was carried out by the previous regime. But for this sub-standard work, they had obtained colossal loans. Finally there are no roads, no ships in spite of a port and this is why the price of goods had to be increased in order to pay the loans that were obtained. When we came into power, we reduced the cost of living, but some ridiculed us saying that the prices would be increased after the elections. But it has been three years and we have only reduced prices and have not increased anything,” he added.

He noted that the good governance regime had generated 400,000 jobs in the private sector during the past three years in office. He said when investors come to Hambantota and the industrial estate is established, there will be many employment opportunities made available for the youth of this country. The port will develop under the new joint venture and as a result it will have a positive impact on the country’s economy. Ratnayake further stated that despite the end of the war, tourists had not visited the country as expected due to the lack of security and the breakdown in law and order in the country.

“Considering all the atrocities that were committed, how can we expect tourists to visit this country? But now we have strengthened the law and gradually tourists are beginning to have faith in us and the number of tourists is increasing gradually. With all these efforts materializing, the country’s economy is bound to prosper and that is our goal,” he noted.