“New Government this year; UNP is not led by its leader,” President says

News Editor Feb 18, 2019

(FASTNEWS|COLOMBO) – Bringing forth a new national movement to form a new Government and a new set of programmes for the betterment of the country is the main responsibility of all those who love the country today, said President Maithripala Sirisena.

The President made these remarks participating as the chief guest at the 22nd Annual Conference of People’s United Front held in Colombo on Sunday (17).

This year is an election year, said the President, where a new Government is being made and that all should ask from their own conscience whether the new Government will be serving an extremely powerful forces of the right or else a Government be made that identifies the problems of the country and loves the country for the betterment of the nation and its future.

The President said that the United National Party (UNP) is not led by its leader today.

“So that the need of the country is a new Government that is friendly to the nation,” he pointed out that without a wider people-oriented collective movement, the victory cannot be achieved. The President added that the country must be freed from the huge debts and the economic prosperity should be established and the wishes of people should be realised.

The President further stated that there is an essential need that the nation should have a wider collaboration of people and in order to give birth for such a force the whole nation should come together.

The People’s United Front which played a major role in the battle towards accomplishing the wishes of the people, is a historical party and the President expressed gratitude for the services rendered in its long journey up to today.

Venerable Elle Gunawansa Thero, Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa, and the Leader of People’s United Front Dinesh Gunawardhana and its members, Leader of Lanka Sama Samaja Party Professor Tissa Vitharana, the General Secretary of Sri Lanka Communist Party D. E. W. Gunasekara and its members, and Diplomats were present in the event.