In the face of prevailing COVID – 19 pandemic the Government has taken every possible measure to provide all required facilities notwithstanding the health related restrictions imposed to ensure safety of the public. As the tourism sector is a vital component of the national economy of this country, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa called on the entrepreneurs of the field to get ready to embark on a new journey by overcoming challenges.

President made these remarks during a discussion with the representatives of the tourism sector held at the Presidential Secretariat today (17). Heads of line institutes in the tourist industry and leading entrepreneurs were present.

Attention was paid to give priority to the personnel such as hotel employees, tour guides and drivers under the ongoing COVID vaccination programme.  It was stated that there is no requirement to quarantine service providers when the tourists are not tested positive.

A decision was taken to shuttle the infected tourists to the hospital in Koggala managed by Lanka Hospital (Pvt) Limited and Sri Lanka Army. President instructed officials to pay due attention to direct the tourists as per the approved tourism plan.

The President advised the relevant officials to make necessary measures to improve facilities for tourists and to take into account the comments made by them when they depart to their respective countries.

The entrepreneurs stated that they will take all steps possible to achieve future goals under proper strategies as the government has already provided necessary reliefs.

During the discussion it was revealed that according to the figures, the percentage of COVID-19 infected tourists, who arrived in the country during the outbreak, is less than 1%.

Head of the Presidential Task Force for Economic Revival and Poverty Alleviation, Basil Rajapaksa, stated that the advantage of Sri Lanka ranking at the 10th place in the COVID-19 Performance Index for its successful handling of the coronavirus pandemic can be utilized for the promotion of tourism industry. He further stressed that the individuals, who are engaged in tourism should take necessary measures to uplift the industry by adhering to the health guidelines, during this challenging period.

Minister of Tourism Prasanna Ranatunga, the Acting Health Minister Prof. Channa Jayasumana, State Ministers Dr. Sudarshani Fernandopulle, D.V. Chanaka, Secretary to the President P.B. Jayasundera and Ministry Secretaries, Heads of State Institutions related to the tourism industry, members of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 Prevention and other officials participated in the discussion.

• Private sector, State Universities and other Higher Education Institutions should work together 
• IT and computer knowledge for all students, regardless of field of study….
• Universities should compete to attract high achievers….
• Freedom for Universities to plan their studies and manage….

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has reiterated that Sri Lanka must keep pace with transformative changes taking place globally.

“We cannot afford to lag behind. Our higher education system must adapt swiftly. It has to offer our students an education that will remain relevant despite fast changing circumstances and help them find gainful employment in future. Unfortunately, this is an area in which our universities and other higher education institutions need considerable improvement” the President said.

The President made these remarks presiding over the final session of the 31^st General Convocation of the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University held at the BMICH, today (16).

Degrees were awarded to 1379 graduants covering the fields of Defence Studies, Management, Business Management, Law, Medicine, Engineering, Promotional Management, Industrial Science and Sociology. Among them were five doctoral students, 263 postgraduate and postgraduate diploma holders. The number of First Degree holders was 1111.

President Rajapaksa presented special awards to Second Lieutenant R.M.T.E.P. Rathnayake as the Best Army Officer , Lieutenant V.S. Palihawadana as the Best Naval Officer, Flying Officer R.G.S.D. Gamage as the Best Air Force Officer and Second Lieutenant R.M.T.G.P. Ratnayake as the Superior Officer.

The General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University was established in 1981 to meet the educational needs of the officers of the three Armed Forces. It was elevated into a fully-fledged University in 2009 by then Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa. In 2009, civilian students were granted the opportunity to study there. At present, members of the three Armed Forces and local and foreign students can pursue doctoral, postgraduate and postgraduate diploma courses at the University.

The President commended General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University for becoming a fully-fledged University within a short span of time. The President further stated that the University’s expansion was a great success due to its ability to produce outstanding graduates in fields as diverse as Medicine, Engineering and Law. The private sector should have more opportunities to work with public universities and other institutions of higher education in finding solutions to current problems. ‘At minimum, all graduates from our university system need to have some knowledge about new technologies and at least a functional familiarity with computers if they are to have a chance to build successful futures for themselves’ the President said. The President urged the Vice Chancellors of all universities to introduce information technology and computer science to all students, regardless of the field of study.

‘Irrespective of their chosen field of study, all students selected for university education are intelligent. Any lack of exposure they have to these subjects when they enter university is due to a failure in the education system rather than due to their own weaknesses’ the President said.

‘Enhancing focus on research and development will also have a beneficial impact on the rankings of Sri Lankan universities internationally. Improving these rankings is important if we are to attract more foreign students as well as attract and retain talented faculty members at our universities’, the President added.

The governing body, Vice Chancellor, Faculties and staff of each university should have more freedom to determine, design, manage, and deliver their programmes of study. They should also be able to select the students they feel are best suited to learn at their institutions. Talented students, too, should have more freedom to choose their universities. These changes will increase the competition that exists amongst the universities at every level, leading to significant overall improvements across the entire higher education system. Through this, it is also likely that the rankings of our national universities will improve, President Rajapaksa further said.

Members of the Parliament, Madam Shiranthi Rajapaksa, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, General (retired) Kamal Gunaratne,  Secretaries to Ministries, Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army General Shavendra Silva, Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenne, Commander of the Air Force Air Marshal S.K. Pathirana, IGP C.D. Wickramaratne, Chancellor of the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, General Gerard de Silva, Vice Chancellor Major General Milinda Pieris, Ambassadors, High Commissioners and academic and non-academic staff of Kotelawala Defence University and others participated on this occasion.

Speech at the Convocation of the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University

Chancellor of the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, General Gerard de Silva

Vice Chancellor Major General Milinda Pieris

Deputy Vice Chancellors, Deans, Faculty Members, Staff Members

Graduands

Parents

Ladies and Gentlemen:

I am delighted to have been invited to preside over the final session of the General Convocation of the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University this afternoon. At the outset, I convey my congratulations to all the students graduating during the course of today’s ceremony. You have all worked hard over the course of your studies at this prestigious institution. Today’s ceremony is a worthy celebration of your hard work and your accomplishments. As you embark on the next phase of your lives and your careers, I wish you every success.

I also take this opportunity to extend my warm wishes to the management, faculty, and staff of the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University for their hard work and dedication in teaching and moulding these students during the course of their education, and for upholding this institution’s high standards and fostering its growth.

The Kotelawala Defence University has evolved in a remarkably short span of time from a Defence Academy catering to the higher educational and training needs of the Armed Forces to a fully-fledged university offering qualifications in many fields to both Officer Cadets and civilian students.

Doubts were raised in certain quarters about the viability of this institution as a fully-fledged university during its initial expansion. However, the KDU was able to attract highly qualified and capable staff, maintain excellent standards of teaching, and consistently produce outstanding graduates in fields as diverse as Engineering, Law, Management, and Medicine. It is now very clear that the KDU’s expansion was a great success.

Not only are the graduates who emerge from the KDU highly proficient in their specialisms, but they also have the reputation of being highly disciplined, possessing great integrity, and demonstrating strong leadership qualities as well as teamwork skills. These features are all very much in demand amongst employers.

The high demand for KDU graduates by such employers in both the private and the public sector, and the high demand from students all over the country to enter the KDU for both undergraduate and postgraduate study, speaks volumes. The fact that the university already has nearly 300 international students, including close to 40 in the Medical Faculty alone, is also a laudable achievement.

In this context, the ongoing expansion of the university with the opening of its Southern Campus is encouraging, as is the expansion in its programmes of study through the inauguration of new faculties in Technology and in Criminal Justice. We will look at further options for the expansion of this university in the future as well. This will allow a larger number of students to benefit from the unique features and culture of this institution.

In considering the future of higher education in Sri Lanka holistically, however, it must be said that there are several issues which need to be addressed.

The world is currently in the midst of what has been called the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Building on the digital revolution that took place in the second half of the twentieth century, rapid technological innovations in a number of fields are converging to create transformative changes around the world.

These changes are taking place at exponential speed, and are impacting almost every single industry in every single country.  The ongoing global pandemic has only accelerated the pace of these changes further.  Every country, every government, and every institution involved in education should therefore take note of these important evolving changes.

Sri Lanka must keep pace with these disruptions and transformations taking place globally. We cannot afford to lag behind. Our higher education system must adapt swiftly. It has to offer our students an education that will remain relevant despite fast changing circumstances and help them find gainful employment in future. Unfortunately, this is an area in which our universities and other higher education institutions need considerable improvement.

During the past year, the Government employed a large number of unemployed graduates through a special scheme initiated under the Ministry of Public Administration. Of the nearly 60,000 who gained employment through this scheme, close to half were graduates in the Arts. Many had obtained their qualifications through the Open University and through external degree programmes offered by other state universities.

It is good that such individuals had a desire to learn at the tertiary level and were able to obtain their qualifications without having to attend university full time. However, there are doubts as to whether their education has equipped them with the knowledge, skills, and abilities they need to contribute productively towards fulfilling the needs of the public. This is an essential requirement if the outcome of their studies is for them to be employed by the Government and paid using public funds.

The skills that are most in demand in today’s job market are technology related. There are so many opportunities for graduates in information technology not only in terms of employment at private sector companies, but also in terms of potential self-employment and in launching new start-ups.

Technology will play a key role in every single economic sector in the future. At minimum, all graduates from our university system need to have some knowledge about new technologies and at least a functional familiarity with computers if they are to have a chance to build successful futures for themselves.

That is why I have requested all the Vice Chancellors to immediately introduce IT and Computer Studies as subjects for all of their students, irrespective of their field of study. This will give them much better prospects of finding lucrative employment or succeeding in their own businesses after they graduate.

Alongside familiarity with technology, possessing a knowledge of English is another critical requirement for our youth. If any young person has a sound knowledge of English and has access to the internet, there is no limitation on what they can learn because there are so many resources available to them online, free of charge.

Globally, thousands of young entrepreneurs have used the skills they acquired through such online resources to launch innovative start-ups or become successfully self-employed. This is happening in Sri Lanka too, and it is a trend that needs to be supported and encouraged.

In this context, the resource constraints in our overall education system are a cause for concern. I have seen at first hand that particularly at the rural level, there is a dearth of teachers in subjects such as Information Technology, Science, Mathematics, and English.

We must immediately focus on training teachers and improving the quality of teaching in these essential subjects throughout the country. While this is underway, we must also seek new resources and find innovative means to teach these subjects at a high standard at secondary schools island wide, so that all our students will be better able to face their future with confidence.

Until such time as these initiatives are fully implemented, however, there will be students who qualify for university despite having limited proficiency in subjects such as English, science, mathematics, and IT. Irrespective of their chosen field of study, all students selected for university education are intelligent. Any lack of exposure they have to these subjects when they enter university is due to a failure in the education system rather than due to their own weaknesses.

Once they reach university level, however, these students must work hard and make use of all the facilities and opportunities available to them to acquire the skills that they lack. Universities must assist them in this process and create more productive avenues of study for them to follow. This will enable students at university level to have better prospects after graduating.

Instead of finding themselves at a loss after leaving university, which is sometimes the case at present, it is my vision that every single university graduate in future should be able to support themselves and contribute positively towards the country’s economy. The changes that we seek in our higher education system are with this purpose in mind.

Increasing the research and development activities that take place in Sri Lankan universities is another important improvement that our higher education system needs. Research should be made a priority especially at the postgraduate level in all our universities. Many of the very real problems we face nationally can be addressed through our universities if talented students are empowered with appropriate facilities and encouraged by their institutions to work towards solving them.

The findings of our research students should be highlighted through regular symposia and publications so that they receive the recognition they deserve. This will also contribute to fostering a vibrant intellectual culture in our country. Any research outcomes that have commercial viability should be licensed to industry, as is the case in other parts of the world, so that they can be best made use of.

There should also be more scope for the private sector to work with state universities and other higher education institutions in designing solutions for current problems. By helping to  protect new inventions emerging from original research through the global patents system, we can also use research and development activities as a means of generating income for the universities and for those directly involved in such research, as well as for the country overall.

Enhancing focus on research and development will also have a beneficial impact on the rankings of Sri Lankan universities internationally. Improving these rankings is important if we are to attract more foreign students as well as attract and retain talented faculty members at our universities. Therefore, improving these rankings at a fast pace must be prioritised.

Another factor that universities should consider is bringing in fresh thinking to their faculties by attracting qualified professors, lecturers and researchers from other institutions. There is a tendency at present for those who obtain PhDs and other higher degrees from a particular university to stay on at that university, rather than seeking opportunities elsewhere in the country. This needs to change.

Universities should engage in greater competition with each other to attract and retain the best talent. Ideally, this competition should not be limited to faculty and staff, but also to students. The current university entrance system, which was designed around resource limitations at the university level, must change as the capacity of our universities expand.

As outlined in the Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour policy document, enhancing the capacity of our higher education system through investment in infrastructure, technology, and human resources is a key aim of my Government. By increasing the capacity of universities, there will be opportunities for more students to access higher education. They should be able to do so without having their future determined purely by the Z-score they obtain through their performance at the Advanced Level examinations.

In the future, while the University Grants Commission must still play a key role in ensuring that the quality and standard of education at universities remains high, individual institutions should be granted greater autonomy in their operations.

The governing body, Vice Chancellor, Faculties and staff of each university should have more freedom to determine, design, manage, and deliver their programmes of study. They should also be able to select the students they feel are best suited to learn at their institutions. Talented students, too, should have more freedom to choose their universities.

These changes will increase the competition that exists amongst the universities at every level, leading to significant overall improvements across the entire higher education system. Through this, it is also likely that the rankings of our national universities will improve.

Sri Lanka is fortunate to have many extremely talented, competent and highly qualified individuals involved in the running of its state universities. I am confident that if all of you put in your best efforts, we can achieve the improvements our universities need to become globally competitive, high-quality institutions that will uplift our youth and help strengthen our economy in the future, despite the rapid changes taking place in the world at large today.

In concluding, I urge all of you to contribute creatively, positively and wholeheartedly towards this endeavour for the betterment of our country and our future generations.

Thank you

Villagers don’t harm environment

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has emphasized that “the life in the village, like the village itself, should be beautiful”.

He further said that the people living in these villages never destroy the rural environment and that it is the villager who has protected the environment so far. The President also said that he does not see the cultivation activities that have been carried out for generations since the time of our ancestors as harming the environment.

The President made these remarks participating in the “Discussion with the Village” programme held yesterday (13) at the Meemure Junior School premises in the Ududumbara Divisional Secretariat Division, Kandy District. This marks the 10th in the series of “Discussion with the Village” programme attended by the President.

President Rajapaksa upon his arrival in the Kaikawala Junior School, on his way to attend the public gathering, engaged in a very cordial discussion with the students and teachers of the school as well as with their parents and inquired about the existing shortcomings of the school.

President Rajapaksa also opened the ‘Smart Classroom’ equipped with computers donated by Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) Mobitel to Kaikawala Primary School. The computers donated by the SLT Mobitel for Meemure Junior school, and televisions and internet connections donated by Dialog Axiata were also handed over to the principal of the school by the President.

The President also participated in the inaugural tour of the newly added bus by the Sri Lanka Transport Board to ply on the Ududumbara road in Meemure.

The “Discussion with the Village” programme commenced on September 25, 2020 from Badulla district. There after programmes were organized covering Matale, Ratnapura, Anuradhapura, Ampara, Polonnaruwa, Kalutara, Moneragala  and Kegalle districts. The idea behind this programme is for President to talk to the rural communities living in remote and difficult areas without intermediaries about their long-standing unresolved problems and to present them directly to the officials in order to find solutions. Problems that can be solved on the spot are instantly addressed. The rest which take time to deal with are noted down to find solutions later. The objective of the programme is to reach out to the people of the villages, understand their problems and find solutions through their own suggestions.

The village of Meemure is located at one end of the Kandy District, 40 km away from Hunnasgiriya on the Kandy-Mahiyangana road and 35 km from boarders of the Badulla and Matale districts.

According to legends, the village of Meemure was a dwelling of the King Ravana. Some believe that the village called Maha Pabbatha mentioned during the reign of King Maha Ravana is presently named as Meemure. The legends state that king Ravana has landed his “Dandumonaraya” (believed to be the aircraft of King Ravana) on Lakegala Mountain after kidnapping Princess Sita.

The village of Meemure is also considered to be the heart of the Knuckles Natural Reserve, a World Heritage Site. Karambaketiya, Kumbukkolla, Pusseela, Kaikawala and Meemure Grama Niladhari Divisions belong to the Ududumbara Divisional Secretariat.

These villages have 378 families with a total population of 1127. Paddy farming is the main livelihood of the villagers. Others engage in the cultivation of minor export crops such as pepper and kithul related industries.

The people explained to the President that their main problems are the underdeveloped status of the road network and the lack of undisputed ownership to the lands for cultivation purposes.

Responding to the complaints regarding poor road infrastructure facilities, the President instructed the Secretary to the Ministry to repair the two bridges on the Meemure-Hunnasgiriya route and complete the development of the road as soon as possible.

It was also decided to expedite the reconstruction of the by-roads in the village including the road from Mediwaka to Pallewela, from Dombagahapitiya to the 35th-mile post and from Karambaketiya to Huluketadelagaha.

The President instructed the officials to take steps to assign a doctor to the Central Dispensary in Kaikawala, to provide an ambulance, to fill the existing medical staff vacancies at the Ududumbara Hospital and to develop other infrastructure facilities.

President Rajapaksa in an evaluation of the potential of the Meemure area as a tourist destination stressed the need to improve facilities for adventurous water sports and other accommodations and facilities to promote tourism industry there. The President drew the attention of the officials to take necessary measures to identify the places and activities of tourist attraction including hiking and educating and training the local people to enter tourism and providing ATM facilities by a State Bank to the village of Meemure.

Minister of Agriculture Mahindananda Aluthgamage pointed out that Meemure could attract more tourists by encouraging farmers to use organic fertilizers in the cultivation of vegetables and fruits.

When Enasal cultivation was taken up for discussion, the Minister of Agriculture was tasked to appoint a committee to investigate the matter and to take formal actions. In addition, it was also discussed to examine the reasons for poor yield in the pepper cultivation as well.

The President directed that immediate steps be taken to rehabilitate and re-activate the electric fence preventing elephant intrusion and to provide solutions to the land issues in the area promptly.

It was advised to rectify the persisting shortage of teachers in the schools in Meemure,Kumbukgolla and Kaikawala and to develop infrastructure facilities including IT rooms and libraries. It was also decided to provide other miscellaneous facilities in the preschools and Dhamma schools in the area. The President also paid special attention to building a common Teacher’s Dormitory for all three schools as well.

Restoration of canal culverts and the supply of clean drinking water have been identified as two other basic requirements in these areas. It was also decided to expedite the development of communication and internet facilities in the area as well.

The President instructed the Secretary to the Ministry to examine the issues pertaining to drinking water needs in Pusseela, Kaikawala, Hasalaka and Weragama in the Ududumbara area and provide formal solutions promptly.

The President also noted that the clean drinking water requirements of all the schools in the country should be met expeditiously.

The President instructed the restoration of the Huluketadelagaha, Madakumbura, Naela, Kodayangale and Pagirimana anicuts and six other tanks in the area.

Ministers Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Keheliya Rambukwella, Governor of the Central Province Lalith U. Gamage, State Ministers Dilum Amunugama, Lohan Ratwatte, Anuradha Jayaratne, MPs Wasantha Yapa Bandara, Gunathilaka Rajapaksa, Udaya Chaminda Kirindigoda, Principal Advisor to the President, Lalith Weeratunga, Former Chief Minister of the Province Sarath Ekanayake, People’s Representatives of the district, Secretaries to the Ministries, Heads of several State Institutes and Security officials and a large number of people were present at the 10th “Discussion with the Village” session held in Meemure Primary School premises.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa handed over letters of appointment to 12 new High Court judges at the Presidential Secretariat today (10).

Name of the Judge                                                                                         Position previously held

1. Miss. N.K.D.K.I. Nanayakkara                                                                District Judge
2. Mr. R.L. Godawela                                                                                  District Judge
3. Mr. V. Ramakamalan                                                                               District Judge
4. Mr.U.R.V.B. Ranatunga                                                                           District Judge
5. Miss.S.H.M.N. Lakmali                                                                            Additional District Judge
6. Mr.D.G.N.R. Premarathna                                                                       District Judge
7. Miss.W.D.Wimalasiri                                                                               Additional District Judge
8. Mr.M.M.M. Mihal                                                                                     Chief Magistrate
9. Mr.Mahee Wijeweera                                                                              District Judge
10. Mr.I.P.D. Liyanage                                                                                   Additional District Judge
11. Mr. J. Trotsky                                                                                           District Judge
12. Mrs. N.A. Suwandurugoda                                                                    Senior State Counsel

The ‘park and ride’ project which was initiated under the guidance of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is being implemented successfully. The ‘park and ride’ facility will pave way to the outside motorists to limit their movement and save a lot of money and fuel. This has also reduced the traffic congestion in peak hours on the main roads. Deputy General Manager of Sri Lanka Transport Board Panduka Swarnahansa said the project is successful in main cities.

The program to provide laptops on a concessionary payment scheme to the students who are qualified to enter universities commenced under the patronage of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

The program has been formulated by the University Grants Commission in collaboration with the People’s Bank, to digitalize the entire education system to meet current needs as  envisioned in the national policy framework of “Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour”. People’s Bank has allocated Rs 3 billion for this project.

Each laptop will be equipped with an internet connection, software package and a 4 year warranty period. A laptop is valued at Rs 80,000.

The loan scheme gives students the opportunity to settle the payment within 6 years following their employment. During his/her university education they are required to pay a sum of Rs. 500 monthly.

President Rajapaksa symbolically handed over relevant documents to six new students who will be enrolled to Universities for the academic  year of 2021 at the Presidential Secretariat this morning (Feb. 09).

Minister of Education Prof. G.L. Peiris, Secretary to the President, P.B. Jayasundera, Secretary of Education Prof. Kapila Perera, Chairperson of the University Grants Commission, Prof. Sampath Amaratunga, Chairperson of the People’s Bank Sujeewa Rajapaksa and several others were present at the occasion.

It is not my method to ascertain people’s problems only by consulting officials…

                                      – President tells at Dickellakanda “Discussion with the Village” programme

• No room for illegal activities misusing decisions taken to solve people’s problems
• Young people’s representatives urged to win people through hard work
• Nationalism cannot be sustained without strengthening the economy….
• A proper development plan and housing project for Maliboda town …

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has emphasized that going to the grassroots level, in order to give swift solutions to public grievances, is neither political gimmick nor media hype.

‘The next Presidential Election is almost four years away. We travel to the villages to fulfill the respective duties that should be performed while in power. No other President has ever gone among the people living in rural areas to give them a hearing and relieve them of their burden even though they may have visited these villages as members of the Opposition. It is not my method being confined to Colombo and ascertains the people’s problems only by consulting officials. There may be some who may criticize this system but “I will work according to my own method,” said President Rajapaksa.

“I became the President after rendering years of service to the people. One can become a people’s leader only by right performance of the responsibilities of a leader.” Therefore, the President advised the young people’s representatives to go among the people to see for themselves the difficulties citizens undergo and addressed them.

The President made these remarks participating in the “Discussion with the Village” programme held yesterday (06) at the Dickellakanda Junior College premises in the Dickellakanda Grama Niladhari Division within the Deraniyagala Divisional Secretariat Division in the Kegalle District. This marks the ninth in the series of “Discussion with the Village” attended by the President.

The President emphasized that if any individual or a group engages in illegal activities misusing the decisions taken to solve the problems of the people as a pretext, they will be severely punished.

It was decided to grant the cultivation rights to the farmer who has cultivated a particular plot of land for generations. The President said that it has been revealed that a group of people are exploiting this opportunity to cause damage to the environment and the forest reserves. The power of nature must be used for the betterment of human beings. President Rajapaksa said that nationalism could not be sustained without strengthening the economy and that the aim of the government is to build a national economy based on agriculture.

The “Discussion with the Village” programme commenced on September 25, 2020 from Badulla district. The previous programmes were organized covering Matale, Ratnapura, Anuradhapura, Ampara, Polonnaruwa, Kalutara and Moneragala districts. The idea behind this programme is for President to talk to the rural communities living in remote and difficult areas without intermediaries about their long-standing unresolved problems and to present them directly to the officials in order to find solutions. Problems that can be solved on the spot are instantly addressed. The rest which take time to deal with are noted down to find solutions later. The objective of the programme is to reach out to the people of the villages, ask their questions and find solutions through their own suggestions.

Dickellakanda village is located at a distance of about 23 km from Deraniyagala town and borders the Sri Pada reserve. Asgala, Pallahena, Namalwatta and Urawanawa belong to the Dickellakanda Grama Niladhari Division. These villages have 208 families comprising a population of 718. Maliboda, Pothdeniya and Magala are the other villages around Dickellakanda.

Majority of the residents in these villages, which are located in a highly sensitive ecological zone, are engaged in tea cultivation or in an occupation affiliated with it. Cloves, Cardamom and Pepper are their other plantation crops. A total of 25 families are engaged in the Kitul industry.

People are severely affected due to status of underdevelopment of the road network and bridge system and the weak public transport services.

The people during the programme apprised the President of various issues they face frequently. In response to the complaints by the public with regard to the dilapidated condition of roads, President Rajapaksa instructed the officials to commence development of the road forthwith from Pothdenikanda area to Dickwellakanda and complete it.

In addition, President instructed the relevant officials to develop the roads in the area including routes from Maliboda to Pandeniya on the way to Sri Pada, Deraniyagala to Nuriya Udamaliboda to Dickellakanda and Maliboda to Urawanawa Ambagahakanda  expeditiously.

President Rajapaksa emphasized the need to develop the minor access roads in rural estate areas across the island connecting them with the by-roads in close proximity.

It was also decided to carry out a comprehensive survey of all the bridges in the area and develop them accordingly. The President also instructed that if contractors fail to deliver their service appropriately in the construction process, they should be blacklisted and replaced with other well performing agencies and contractors.

“From now on, all the constructions should be expedited under the supervision of people’s representatives and officials” the President added.

Special attention was paid to expedite the Polgaswatta, Basnagala-Horagahahinna water projects to address the shortage of clean drinking water and to identify the water sources in the district for the purpose of fulfilling drinking water needs.

President Rajapaksa advised the Ministry of Urban Development to develop Maliboda town in a systematic fashion and the State Ministry of Estate Housing and Community Infrastructure to expedite the launch of a new housing scheme.

It was also decided to construct a new building for Dickellakanda Junior College, accommodate laboratory facilities and develop the school playground. President Rajapaksa also decided to donate a three-wheeler to the school to facilitate transportation for the teachers.

The development of the Pothdenikanda Vidayala’s playground will commence immediately. The President instructed the Secretary of Education to provide sports ware and band instruments to all the schools that do not already possess them. President Rajapaksa also advised the officials to look into the computer requirements in the schools and meet them accordingly.

President Rajapaksa added that steps should be taken to address the issue of shortage of teachers in all schools in the district and to develop other infrastructure facilities. Special attention was paid to providing opportunities for students who have passed G.C.E. Advanced Level to fill the vacancies for teachers in English, Mathematics, Science and Information Technology persisting in Tamil medium schools.

It was also decided to fill the vacancies of medical and other staff members in rural hospitals in the Kegalle District and to develop the infrastructure facilities as well. President also paid his special attention into the issues pertaining to lands in the area.

The computers donated by the SLT Mobitel for Dickellakanda Junior College, Maliboda Tamil College and Udamaliboda Sri Devananda Vidyalaya and televisions and internet connections donated by Dialog Axiata were handed over to the principals of the respective schools by the President.

Governor of the Sabaragamuwa province Tikiri Kobbekaduwa, Governor of the North  Central province Maheepala Herath, State Ministers Kanaka Herath, Tharaka Balasuriya, MPs Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, Sudath Manjula, Sarathi Dushmantha, Rajika Wickramasinghe, Principal Advisor to the President, Lalith Weeratunga, People’s representatives of the district, Secretaries to the Ministries, Heads of the State Institutes and Security Forces officials and several others attended the 9th “Discussion with the Village” programme held at the Dickellakanda Junior College premises.