By : A.A.M.NIZAM – MATARA

In the run up to the local government election held on February 10^th we strangely found the four parties in the government the UNP, the SLFP, the JVP and the TNA accusing each other, blaming each other and condemning each other and these statements consisted mega lies, slanders, and denigrations, and some of which are presented underneath in the point form as flashbacks.

• The UNP successfully rebuilt the economy destroyed during the Mahinda Rajapaaksa era. We were handed over an empty harbour for which ships were not calling in and now ships are coming there.  If the villages need to be developed give complete power to the UNP.  – Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe addressing a UNP meeting at Nikaweratiya.
• Trincomalee port and the oil tank farm will be “developed” with the assistance of a Singapore firm and such a development of Trincomalee will directly benefit the North and East, including Vavuniya. – Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe addressing a UNP meeting at Nikaweratiya.
• Similar to all parties that converged around the UNP to get a new President elected in 2015 all parties have once again converged around the UNP for the February 10^th election as well. On the request off Minister Palani Digambaram, we increased the number of Pradeshiya Sabhas for the Nuwara Eliya and this is something that has not been done by any previous government.   – Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe addressing a meeting in Hatton.
• Hambantota harbour is not a white elephant we are getting income from it. We have two harbours (Hambantota and Colonbo) and two airports at Katunayake and Mattala. We are going to build a tourist hub and a trade hub centering these areas.  We will link Kandy with Trincomalee.   When we develop the Trincomalee harbour people of Vanni will get benefited. – Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe addressing an election meeting in Vavuniya. .
• It was to end bribery and corruption we came to power. Immediately after we came to power there had been a Bond Scam.  We did not hide it.  Bond scams is a good beginning.  We will punish the Bond Scams rogues. We appointed an opposition memher as the Chairman of COPE committee.   – Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe in a special statement issued on 18.01.2018.

·         EPF, ETF lost Rs.400 billion on Treasury Bond purchases from 2008 to 2014 That loss was the biggest fraud committed against the working class by the Mahinda Rajapaksa government. All the corrupt and criminal activities that had taken place under the Rajapaksa regime would be exposed. – The Prime Minister addressing the UNP’s 70th anniversary celebrations at Campbell Park, in Borella

·         We will streamline operations and relaunching the Mattala International Airport and the Magampura port in Hambantota by mid 2018. When these two facilities become re-operational, tourist arrivals to the Uva region will increase significantly with Ella being converted into a tourism zone.  – Prime Minister in a visit to Ella area.

·         A flyover will be built from Kelani brige to Colombo Fort. Construction of the Rajagiriya fyover was started by this government to ease traffic congestions.  An expressway network will also be constructed from Kandy to Hambantota and these are necessary to strengthen our economy.  Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasnghe addressing media at Rajagiriya.

·         We will import rice and coconut and we are ready to import vegetables as well.  There had been a change of weather patterns in the country.  While there were floods in some districts there were droughts in some other districts.  Steps wll be taken to impot rice and coconut till April this year.   Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasnghe making a special statement on rice imports.

• Although President Sirisena criticizes the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe at SLFP meetings there is no misunderstanding between him and the Prime Minister. The President is doing that only as a strategy to get the SLFP vote block increased.  The government will continue as it is now after February 10^th.  The allegation being made by the President that the economy was ruined by the Prime Minister has no basis because all economic decisions taken by the government were approved by the Cabinet headed by Sirisena himself.  – Minister Lakshman Kiriella addressing a meeting in Kandy.
• Since the present government has already won the world the time has now come to win the villages as well. The government already got all problems with foreign countries solved and the tea problem with Russia will also be solved shortly.  Without getting misled and stranded by going after other parties, extend the support for the UNP to win the February 10^th  Minister of Finance and Media Mangala Samaraweera addressing UNP candidates in Matara.
• Investigations on bribery and corruption during the previous regime are ongoing. All informion on Dubai accounts has been discovered.  One account has a deposit of 1086 Million U.S.Dollars.  Another account has 1,800 Million U.S.Dollars and in another account 500 Million U.S.Dollars.  I was an eye witness for these deposits. Funds misappropriated from the MIG deal has been deposited in a Hong Kong Bank. – Minister Rajitha Senaratne addressing the UNP’s 70th anniversary celebrations at Campbell Park, in Borella
• Udayanga Weeratunga will be brought back to Sri Lanka. Another nephew of Rajapaksas is hiding in the United States, he will also have the same destiny.  Gotabhaya should come to Sri Lanka and respond to his charges instead of issuing statements from America. – Minister Rajitha Senararatne addressing a meeting in Galle.
• President Siriena threatened to quit the National Unity Government expressing his anger over criticisms being made at him by UNP parliamentarians and stormed out of the the cabinet meeting. Afterwards the Prime Minister and several other Ministers wen to his office and brought him back after about 30 minutes following much persuasion. At the cabinet media conference the President’s long absence was described as that he went to answer a call of nature.  – Minister Rajitha Senaratne, Cabinet spokesman.
• All Rjapaksas will b imprisoned before the end of 2018. The symbol of those who are destined to get imprisoned is the ‘Flower Bud’.  MPs alleged to have been involved in manslaughter in the Ratnapra district are with the JO.  They have focused ttention on Beruwela.  I assure that we will become victorious in both councils in the Beruwela electorate – the Urban Council and the Pradeshiya sabha. – Minister Rajitha Senararatne addressing a meeting in Beruwela.
• It is the Flower Bud that is behind the independent group that is contesting for the Beruwela UC. They will get same fate as the fate that Rajapaksa got on January 8^th.  Bodu Bala Sena is a Rajapaksa Sena.  If Pohottuwa becomes victorious Bodu Baa Sena and the Rawana Balaya will raise their ugly heads.  Minister Rajitha Senararatne addressing a meeting in Beruwela.
• Soon after the LG elections Mahinda will be imprisoned and a suitable jumper is being sewed at the Welikada Prison – Minister Rajitha Senararatne addressing a media conferece..
• If the SLFP alleged the UNP as Bond Scams rogues, we are ready to expose all rogues in the SLFP. It was to cover up their corrupt activities and the SLFPers join the government and took up ministerial posts.  Those who worked for Mahinda Rajapaksa in the past are trying to advise us how we should run this government, and trying to override us.  – Minister Harrin Fernando addressing a UNP meeting in Badulla.
• The Kosgama Ordnance Storage was set on fire by the people of Mahinda Rajapaksa because there were 90 vehicles belonging to Mahinda Rajapaksa hidden there – UNP MP Nalin Bandara addressing a meeting held in Kurunegala
• The UNP is confident of clinching victory in about 275 of the 341 local bodies. The UNP, unlike the other parties is well organised at the grassroots level and the people were rallying under the UNP led United National Front banner, with several parties contesting under the Elephant Symbol in some councils. The UNP had proved to the people its commitment to good governance and the rule of law and the seeds of economic development had taken root under the UNP. – Deputy Minister Ajith P.Perera addressing a media conference at his Ministry.
• If President Sirisena is going to form a SLFP government with 96 UPFA members it can be established only in the Hell. The President is acting in the election by forgetting that he is the President of this country and acting only as the leader of his party, which would become third or fourth in the election. – Deputy Minister Ajith P.Perera addressing a media conference at his Ministry
• If President attempted at any time to remove Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe the UNP will definitely submit an impeachment motion against Sirisena in the Parliament. Even the support of the joint opposition will be solicited for such an impeachment motion. – Badulla District UNP MP Chaminda Wijesiri addressing a meeting in Badulla.
• Decision will be taken whether to continue with the coalition government or not after the February 10^th It is being looked into the possibility of forming a government with the TNA and the Muslim Congress.  – State Minister Wasantha Senanayake addressing a UNP meeting at Dmbulagala.
• President Sirisena’s statement on Bond Scams commission report was a political bribe. It was a statement made at an election time to take political advantage to one party and disadvantage to other parties.  It was the UNP that fixed all nuts of the President’s dysfunctional joints and made him to stand straight as a man with a firm backbone and gave a sword to his hand.  He should first use this sword against the rogues after February 10^th.  – Matale District UNP MP Mrs. Rohini Wijeratne Kaviratne.
• Although we assumed that President Sirisena is ours it was not like that. He says something in the morning and says an entirely different and contradictory thing in the evening.   His sword is sharp only one side and the other side is blunt. – UNP MP Thushaara Indunil addressing a UNP meeting at Ambanpola.
• The UNP will take actions to form its own government after February10th. By now we have learnt a good lesson attempting to work in a coalition government. We have only one leader and together with him we would win the forthcoming Provincial Council election as well.  – Badulla district UNP MP Chaminda Wijesiri

(To be continued)