• Solutions to the land problems of the people of Nuwara Eliya before February 04
• A cable car project between Pattipola and Boralanda to see the World’s End
– The President reveals at the Nuwara Eliya District Development Committee meeting
President Ranil Wickremesinghe emphasized that government officials should fulfil their responsibilities properly without engaging in tug-of-war when serving the people.
The President pointed out that about 50% of the people’s problems presented to him can be solved by government officials and it is not necessary for a President or a Minister to come from Colombo to solve those problems. He also said that government institutions should be committed to provide maximum public service in a well-coordinated manner.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe made this comment while attending the Nuwara Eliya District Development Committee meeting held at the Nuwara Eliya District Secretariat this morning (22).
The President instructed the officers to formulate a report jointly engaging all government agencies on the resolution of land problems in Nuwara Eliya district prior to February 04 and said that if such a report is not submitted, he will take necessary action in this regard.
The measures to be taken for the promotion of the tourism industry in the Nuwara Eliya District were also discussed at this meeting while the President also advised to commence a cable car project between Pattipola and Boralanda for tourists visiting the World’s-end.
President Wickremesinghe further said,
Urgent solutions should be given to the land problems of the people of Nuwara Eliya and he requested the District Secretariat, Ministry of Plantation and Land Registration Department to jointly prepare a report on the government owned lands in the district within a month.
“All the land licenses given to the plantation companies will be cancelled and steps will be taken to provide the land needed by the people and we hope to complete these activities before February 04,” said the President.
Further attention was focused on providing facilities for the health centres located near the estates. “Problems that can be solved at the level of government officials should be solved first. A report on the problems in this district should be prepared one month before the next District Development Committee meeting. Officers should participate in the meeting of the development committee with possible solutions to the problems mentioned in the report. As a President, I will not find time to do any work other than solving these problems,” he said.
As public officials, Prosecution of people on any matter is not solving problems. Government officials should not do anything that harms the people and the environment, the President pointed out.
“Special programs are needed to boost the tourism industry in the Nuwara Eliya District. But nothing should be done in such a way as to harm the environment. Horton plain is the highest place in Sri Lanka. Therefore, nothing can be done to destroy it. We hope to bring a new law to protect the Horton Plains. Also, steps are being taken to commence a cable car service between Pattipola and Boralanda for those visiting the world’s End.
About 50% of the issues discussed today are issues that can be resolved at the officer level. However, as public officials you act as if Ukraine and Russia are at war. It is not necessary for a President, not even a Minister to spend money and come from Colombo to talk about these minor issues. Therefore, it is necessary for government officials to properly fulfil the responsibilities assigned to them without engaging in a tug of war,” he stated.
Ministers Nimal Siripala de Silva, Mahinda Amaraweera, Members of Parliament S.B. Dissanayake, C. B. Ratnayake, Palani Digambaram, Jeevan Thondaman, V. Radhakrishnan, Udaya Kumar, M. Rameswaran, Nimal Piyathissa, President’s Chief of Staff and President’s Senior Advisor on National Security Sagala Ratnayake, President’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake, former Minister Navin Dissanayake, Central Province Governor Lalith U. Gamage and public officials from the district attended the event.
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