President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing the new ministers and members at the Western Provincial Council at Presidential Secretariat, May 04.

04-05-2009

I give my heartiest congratulations to all who took oaths to join in service to the people today. We have won the provinces of the East, North Central, Sabaragamuwa, Vayamba, and Central as well as Western.

The repeated victories in elections show that the people endorse the path taken by our government and that they believe the country is going in the proper direction.

Friends, most people consider the Western Province as Colombo. But, the Western Province is not only Colombo. Cinnamon Gardens where we can not see at even cinnamon tree, as well as Matugama, Agalawatta where cinnamon trees are most spread are situated in Western Province. Super towns, as well as villages with hardships can also be seen in Western Province. Someone who travels by train from Colombo to Avissavella can clearly see the variety of this Province.

When Colombo is a commercial town which has the harbor and five star hotels, we can see an agricultural economy in Horana with tea, Bulathsinhala with rubber, Malvana with rambutan and Gampaha with pineapples. You should keep this in your minds. That is why I tell you not to look at this province from a Colombo point of view. The Western Province is a place which based on variety.

Hanwella and Avissavella are calm and quiet areas which have temples and water falls while Panchikawatta and Orugodawatta are crowded areas. The Western Province is a place with a spread of ethnic communities which comprise the Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim, Burgher, Malay, as well as the Bohras, Chetties, Memons, Bharathas, Chinese and Malayali people.

The Fort which was built by the Portuguese, who sought room to spread a cattle’s skin, as well as Mulleriya wela which became red with blood of the Portuguese are also situated in the Western Province.

Both Meegoda, which is situated in the Kelani valley where we have the clearest water, as well as Beira Lake which has most polluted water are in this Province. Two of the major rivers of Sri Lanka, the Kelani and Kalu ganga also flow through the Western Province.

Therefore, those who seek to serve the Western Province should not look at it only with a Colombo point of view. You should look at service from a wider people’s point of view. Such an attitude can bring greater glory to this victory.

Friends, the victory in elections means none other than responsibility. What one accepts with victory is responsibility. Therefore, this new Western Provincial Council should seek to work with a greater sense of responsibility than previous councils.

I say this because we did not have a manifesto of promises for this election. Yet, people of the Western Province gave us more votes than ever. Today the people of our country do not think only of their stomachs when voting. The time when people voted for election promises is over. Today they place the country first. All other needs are put into second place compared to the needs of the country.

As members who have been elected by people who thought of the country first and voted for you, there is a greater responsibility upon you. The people’s representatives should also think first of the country as the people do. We must preserve this tradition of placing the country first that is shown to us by the people.

We can only preserve this by proving to the people that we place the country first in our work. We should make them understand that we consider the children of the country as our own children. We should make them understand that we care for the lives of people rather than our lives. We will be able to come before the people of this country if only we can prove them all these.

We should make a huge change as soon as we sweep out this terrorism that has lasted for thirty years. At that point, the Provincial Council can not work alone. We can not develop the country if the Pradeshiya Sabhas, Provincial Councils, and Central Government are unable to work together. Some development projects of this country had failed because there was no such unity. But, today the Pradeshiya Sabhas, Provincial Councils as well as Central Government are ours. Now we have no right to postpone people’s needs by pointing accusing fingers at others. Now we are a team which is working on a quick path to a united Sri Lanka.

Friends, sixty eight of members were elected to the Provincial Council from us. But, ministries are given only to four members of them. Is it implied that we give special attention only to four? Is it implied that only these four are special to us? No. We gave them nothing special, but a huge responsibility.

These elected ministers should be able to take over the responsibility of all members of the Provincial Council. They also should be able to share their power and relevant responsibilities of their subjects with other members of the Council. You are quite wrong if you think that this is an opportunity given you to come above the other members and win next election. We are on alert about the Provincial Council and the actions of its ministers. You, who got ministries shouldn’t think to serve only your areas. The Ministry does not belong to you. It belongs to the country. Therefore we need a united Provincial Council which shares power and responsibility with each other and works together. You should keep in your mind that the ministry is lower than membership of the Provincial Council.

We never forget the service done by new comers to win this Provincial Council. We have undertaken the responsibility for their future. They have a major task to win for their future as well as the future of the country. Getting their service is our responsibility. It is also the responsibility of the Chief Minister and the ministers.

This is one of the most peaceful elections. You have dignity for being elected from such an election. If you want to preserve this dignity, you should work together. Don’t work for the next election. Work for future.