(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –Sri Lanka Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe says he has been able to create the youth leadership needed to carry the United National Party (UNP) forward and the deputy leader Sajith Premadasa can be described as one of that youth leadership.
The Premier said Sajith Premadasa, who entered politics from Hambanthota after demise of his President father has made a long journey in the UNP as the Deputy Leader and was able to gain a great deal of complex experiences in his political career while in the opposition.
Addressing the special UNP convention to endorse Minister Sajith Premadasa’s candidacy for the upcoming presidential election, the Prime Minister pointed out that whenever the party was divided, it has been defeated and that the party should be taken forward with no divisions at any time in the future.
“As long as I remain in the leadership of the party, I want to tell everyone that there will be no division in this party. This government somehow managed to get into the presidential election. Do not give up when power is captured. Strengthen it further. What did this minority government do? … hit at least one sixer in every over,” the Premier said. Wickremesinghe highlighted that the United National Front government led by the UNP provided many benefits to the people. “Stents were given free to patients, roads were built, nearest school is the best school program and 13 years of uninterrupted education for children were some other developments. We increased salaries, decreased fuel prices. Suwa Seriya ambulances come to help people instead of dreaded white vans� We have laid the foundation for a solid economy.” Addressing the UNP convention, Deputy Leader Minister Ravi Karunanayake said the good governance that was started on January 8, 2015 has been able to strengthen the democracy of the country. He said the government during its tenure was able to change the society that dreaded when someone knocks on the door in the night to a level of comfort and sigh of relief. He said being able to select a young leader like Sajith Premadasa as the presidential candidate with no divisions in the party is a reason for the people to be proud of. Ravi Karunanayake said the development which was confined to one area of the country was carried out in every region under the leadership of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. He said that this program could be further strengthened under a UNP president. Minister Sajith Premadasa is playing a vital role in the national level through the concept of building houses in every village, he said. At the convention held at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium on Thursday, October 3, the United National Party approved six proposals put forward by the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and General Secretary Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam.
