The country receives immense benefits from the state visits of Prime Minister Ranil Wikremesinghe unlike that of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, United National Party (UNP) Parliamentarian Nalin Bandara said.
Prime Minister Wickremesinghe could bring several benefits to the country from these state visits, including paving the way for receiving the GSP Plus concession, opening the doors for a significant number of investment opportunities and moreover to build the image of the country and it’s wide acceptance from the world, he said.
The parliamentarian addressing the media at the UNP headquarters “Sirikotha” yesterday said that the Prime Minister participated in 50 percent of state visits on invitations he received from the state leaders of those countries.
“Of the state visits of the Prime Minister, the visit to Brussels in Belgium to participate in the World Economic Forum was significant. Besides, the sanctions imposed on fish products exportation could be lifted as a result of the Premier’s visit”, the MP said.
Unlike the foreign visits of Mahinda Rajapaksa, only a few officials accompanied the Prime Ministeron these visits . But during the last regime, it was reported that around 200 persons took part on a single visit of the former President.
“Rajapaksa’s entourage included family members, henchmen, ‘yes’-men. Besides almost 90 per cent of the counties he visited were not developed countries. Sri Lanka received noting from these state visits” he said.
The MP said Wasantha Samarasinghe of the JVP leveled allegations that the country did not receive anything from the Prime Minister’s visits.
“He is behaving like a frog in the well. Even though these narrow sighted elements level baseless allegations, the people of the country know the truth.” I invited Samarasinghe to participate in a state visit of Prime Minister Wickremesinghe the next time to know the truth” he said.
He said that JVP cannot form a government even by 2040 and even if they do they will not be able to rule the country for two months because the people will rally against them and come forward to drive e them away.
Nalin Bandara further added that Prof. G.L. Peiris in his capacity as the then Foreign Minister visited 48 countries but the country received nothing.
“Disregard his 48 visits, it was about to impose various sanctions on the country. The fish ban had already been enforced then” he said.
The parliamentarian said that it will take more than two years to receive the outcome and the benefits of the fruitful moves made by the government. People received the benefits of the 1977 government after three years in 1980 and thereafter .
Speaking on the May Day rallies, MP Nalin Bandara said it was noted that all rallies attracted much crowds than the previous years. According to his estimates, the largest volume of people estimated around 300,000 flocked to the UNP rally while around 200,000 attended each of the other major rallies.
Unlike previous years, participants focused on environmental cleanliness after holding their May Day rallies.
“Showing concern towards cleanliness is an outcome of good governance as the god governance government cultivated an environment friendly attitude among the people.
He said May Day was the day which brought devastation to the Sri Lanka Transport Board during the last regime. But under this government not a single SLCTB bus was deployed for May Day transportation unless the the due amount was paid.
“A salary hike’ was not a slogan in any of the May Day rallies this time since the government has increased salaries of both state and private sector employees significantly” MP Bandara said.
He said that Dullas Alahapperuma who made a big noise against the Indian ambulance service, has thanked to the government for deploying ambulances for the May Day rally of the Joint Opposition.
Bandara said that the SLFP has split into two now with the holding of two May Day rallies. Mahinda Rakjapaksa is responsible for splitting the party into two.
He said that the Unity Government will continue until 2020 and then the UNP will form a UNP led government.
“The UNP is never afraid of elections as the party is in a position to win any election,”he said.