President Ranil Wickremesinghe stated that he has earned the recognition of the majority for ensuring the supply of food, medicine, fuel, and other essentials during the economic crisis.
President
He gratefully accepted this acknowledgment, emphasizing that he could not stand idle while people suffered, and took on the challenge of rebuilding the country for its citizens.
The President made these remarks during the "Ranil ta Puluwan" (Ranil Can) rally held in Narammala this afternoon (10th), which saw a large turnout in support of his re-election campaign. He further remarked that the people are unwilling to entrust their future to Sajith Premadasa and Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who were absent when the country faced hardships.
President at Narammala
Highlighting the resilience of those who united to rebuild the economy during the last crisis, President Wickremesinghe expressed confidence that they are equally capable of shaping the nation's future. He added that this vision is embodied in the "Puluwan Sri Lanka" program.
Addressing the public rally, President Wickremesinghe said;
You might be wondering why I am wearing this cap. An elderly lady gave it to me after I finished speaking at the Kilinochchi meeting. She gave me this cap as a token of gratitude for the efforts I made to provide them with food, medicine, fuel and gas. To me, this cap is worth more than 100,000.
I shared the deep concern I felt during the last economic crisis, seeing people suffer in long queues without access to food, medicine, fuel, and gas. I could not stand by and watch, which is why I took responsibility for alleviating that suffering and safeguarding the people’s right to live. Today, I am honoured by the gratitude of those who recognize that effort, and it means a great deal to me.
It is essential to ensure the right to life for the people of this country, as well as secure their livelihoods and job incomes. At the same time, the country's economy must continue to function, or it will collapse. Over the past two years, I was able to stabilize the economy while ensuring the people’s basic rights were protected.
Today, we are seeing progress, and the path for continued development has been laid out in the "Puluwan Sri Lanka" program. In 2023, when the economy began to strengthen, we provided reassurance to the people, enhancing the Samurdhi program to offer threefold benefit. Additionally, the number of beneficiaries was increased to 2.4 million.
Furthermore, we have issued free land deeds to those who previously held only land permits, significantly increasing the value of their property. Our goal is to implement the agricultural modernization program in these areas and strengthen the export economy.
As a result, Kurunegala is set to become a major city, with a new university being established and a large investment zone of 1,000 acres being developed in Bingiriya. Additionally, new factories are being opened in Kuliyapitiya, and we have plans to enhance education by creating digital learning centres.
My vision is to bring wealth to the villages and uplift rural communities, and we seek the people's support to achieve this. Today, Sajith and Anura are only offering empty words. In 2022, when the people were suffering in long queues, they were nowhere to be found. Now they claim they should be entrusted with the future of the country, but I know the people are not ready for that.
Let’s come together to develop the country. I urge everyone to vote for the gas cylinder on September 21 and support this movement for progress.
