Public servants’ responsibiliies should be fulfilled on behalf of the people.
The Prime Minister made these comments when the two storied building of Mahawilachchiya Divisional Secretariat office was vested with the public on 15.06.2024 at Pemaduwa.
The Prime Minister addressing the event commented that -
"As mentioned in our history, our history is fostered by the history that was bequeathed from these areas many centuries ago. It is the great civilization that was bequeathed from these areas that allowed our country to inherit an incomparable civilization compared with the world.
In a very difficult period, we had to take over the responsibility of the country. Various statistical debates are taking place not only nowadays but also in history. No discipline of mathematics has developed in a uniformed manner. They move on with arguments, setbacks, and mistakes.
The President and the government have been able to stabilize the country’s economy so that it does not lead to chaos, established the law and order of the country. It showed once again that it is a country with a stable government among other countries in the world. It is on these grounds that the world deals with us, treats us, and accepts us. When the law can be interpreted, it should be interpreted for the benefit of the people.
I don’t need to explain the situation the farmers here were in, during the crisis. The farmers demanded many things. The government believed the farmers would turn the program into development. The demands and the problems that had arisen were expected to become a progress. We once again proved that we are a country that can solve the food problem by producing a surplus of food through the determination of farmers. Our farmers proved it. That is why various countries that were looking at us declared that Sri Lanka is a country that can restore its economy very quickly.
The owners of thousands of acres that can be transformed most successfully into self-sufficiency and export, are the farming people living around Thanthirimale in the Malwatu Oya Valley themselves. Our government is committed to building it in the same way. So let’s proceed with the declared program. All government officials should support it.
We have not made any government official deprived of their rights. When the economy collapsed in many countries around the world, thousands of government employees were sacked. Wages were stopped. We did not do that in our country. Greece was in such a difficult situation. Half of the government employees were sent home. The pension was paid for two or three months. We have not stopped the salaries of any public servant. Even in this difficult period, the pension was not stopped. Despite the difficult period, our public servants enjoyed all of their rights. As the main participants of this journey, there is one task that needs to be done for the country to make the country’s journey forward with confidence.
We are not the private sector. We are the government. Public service is a special responsibility. Public service responsibility should be fulfilled on behalf of the people. Public service is maintained for that purpose. All sections from Grama Niladhari, Divisional Secretary, and the District Secretary upwards, must fulfil the responsibility and duty of that public service. The responsibility lies with the post. The duty is even deeper. Humanity is part of duty. People in these areas come with difficulty to get public services. It is the duty of real public servants to take them forward into development. When it is fully accomplished, you also get the partnership of being able to move the country forward strongly. Therefore, let’s work together."
State Minister Ashoka Priyantha, Anuradhapura District Coordination Committee Co-Chairman S.M. Chandrasena also addressed the gathering and many land permits were granted for a number of farmers at the event.
Maha Sangha including Ven. Thanthirimale Chandarathana Thera, Chief incumbent of Thanthirimale Rajamaha Viharaya, Anuradhapura District Coordination Committee Co-Chairman S.M. Chandrasena, State Ministers Shehan Semasinghe and Ashoka Priyantha, MPs S. Muthukumarana, Weerasena Gamage, Ishaq Rahuman, former Chief Minister S.M. Ranjith, former MP P. Harrison and former local government representatives, Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration Pradeep Yasaratne, Anuradhapura District Secretary Janaka Jayasundara, Divisional Secretaries, Government officials, farmers, and residents of the area participated in this event.
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