No snap poll - President

Rohan Mathes

COLOMBO: Contrary to recent speculation, President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday ruled out a snap poll.

Addressing a ceremony sponsored by the Finance and Planning Ministry to confer appointments to 246 Accountants to the State services at Temple Trees, President Rajapaksa stated that having well ascertained the pulse and the aspirations of the people, by the endorsement given by them at the recent North Central and Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council (PC) elections, he was in no hurry to hold a snap poll.

“The recent PC elections has proved beyond any reasonable doubt that the people have endorsed our multi-faceted development plans and progress achieved as envisioned in the Mahinda Chintanaya.

This endorsement by the people clearly depicts their profound appreciation in our deliberations and endeavours. It has truly inspired and strengthened us. Based on this evidence, I have no mighty hurry or need to hold a premature election prior to its due date, in year 2010,” he said.

Calling a snap poll would only benefit Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe to survive and retain his post, he added.

President Rajapaksa stressed the paramount importance of consolidating the Government Service, with an object-oriented vision and a mission to build and develop the Nation sans any fragmentation of the country.

“We have never and will never ever sell the national assets and resources of our Motherland in the process,” he added.

He said that his Government had painstakingly launched a mega- infrastructural development drive with prudence and foresight, based on a thorough analysis of an impending global fuel and food crises, which is well managed and under control now.

“The Moragahakanda, Norochcholai, Kerawalapitiya development projects and the like, are classic examples of how a once stagnating development process was re-juvenated and re-kindled, for the well-being of the country.

Understanding the vital role he played in the national economy, we uplifted the ‘paddy-farmer’ by providing him a 96 per cent fertiliser subsidy,” he said.The President categorically ruled out unfounded allegations by certain analysts who were in the habit of branding Sri Lanka as a ‘Failed State’.

“We are a vibrant and a fast-developing nation. This was well evidenced by the resilience shown by us in the tsunami tragedy,” he said.

President Rajapaksa was of the view that Sri Lanka was the only country which provided so much welfare facilities, even surpassing China, in the backdrop of fighting a bloody war with the most ruthless terrorist outfit in the world. “The SAARC leaders themselves had been amazed on how Sri Lanka had hosted such a successful summit here,” he added.

He urged the newly-recruited Accountants to build the relevant links with Treasury officials and serve the Government service and the Nation to the best of their abilities and skills.

Ministers Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, Bandula Gunawardena and Karu Jayasuriya and Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Sumith Abeysinghe also addressed the ceremony.