Many issues including property rights of citizens are resolved by utilising the valuable documents collected by the registrars. If your challenging duty is not done well, it will be the beginning of many problems.
Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena made these comments at the meeting of rural registrars held at Temple Trees Friday (28).
The Prime Minister also said: “You are fulfilling a huge responsibility for the survival and progress of human society. You may face problems when some long standing rules are changed. In such cases, the Government has an obligation to resolve those issues through friendly negotiations. Even if you do a difficult and satisfying job with the citizens, if you don’t do it right, it will be the beginning of many problems.
“Three elders who had gone abroad 40 years ago because of the unrest in the country came to meet us. No record of them can be found. They could only show where they lived. From then on, it could be traced back through your valuable documents to confirm their ownership. Jaffna Mayor Duraiappah was shot dead when he returned to Jaffna after expressing his support for the then Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike. After 40 years, his child who lived abroad came to Sri Lanka for his legacy. Such problems can be solved by using the valuable documents you have collected. You are engaged in such a valuable, challenging, duty.
“There was a time when we could ride in the bus for five cents, but today we can’t buy anything for five cents. It is one of the characteristics of how the world economy grows and how inflation works. That’s why our salaries are not fixed at a single point. The economy expands to meet the conditions arising from the increase in the requirements of consumption, income and expenditure.
“We had a difficult time. We are all people born after World War II. Such a difficult situation did not arise after that war. It is said that our ancestors lived during the war by eating Bajiri. Without allowing such a period to be created again in the country, you are part of the people involved in the public service who help save the country from the economic crisis. Your support is needed to create confidence in the citizens that can maintain the satisfaction of the society.
There was a time when a cheque was sent to a foreign country, it was discarded without being realised. International negotiations were stuck in such a difficult situation. In order to correct it, the IMF and the aiding countries, all the international credit institutions have accepted our country again. What we need to do is to further support this growth.”
MP Yadamini Gunawardena, officials including Public Administration Ministry Secretary Pradeep Yasaratne, Colombo District Secretary Ginige Prasanna Janaka Kumara, former Colombo District Secretary and Prime Minister’s Coordinator K. G. Wijesiri and Registrar General W. R. A. N. S. Wijayasinghe participated.
