Except for Opposition Leader and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, most of his siblings in the Rajapaksa family are U.S. citizens and Green Card holders. The Pohottuwa Presidential aspirant is still a US citizen, Public enterprise, Kandyan Heheritage and Kandy Development Minister Lakshman Kiriella said.
He was speaking to the media after opening the Ampitiya Dambawela Professional Teacher Development Centre set up at a cost of Rs. 30 million under the ‘Nearest School the Best School Programme’, of the Education Ministry on September 9.
He said UNP Leaders including Ranil and Sajith were not citizens of a foreign country and they had never left their motherland.
"Those holding Green Cards as US citizens received a stipend medical and Insurance facilities and other perks from the US government. Although certain others left the country, UNP leaders had never left the motherland even at the height of the war against terrorists," he said.
Kiriella said there was no clash between him and Minister Kabir Hashim as reported in certain section of the media. The two of them are good friends. Although the two of them exchanged their views they had no enmity with each other. Their party is a democratic party which encourage frank exchange views.
"In the Pohottuwa party, only the Rajapaksa family members decided on policy. But the UNP had members of different communities and religious who engaged in friendly discussion and debate among themselves. As such there were no rifts or division within the UNP. Minister Sajith Premadasa was also conducting UNP rallies," Minister Kiriella said.
"This showed that everyone of them used their energies to bring the party into power. When the Prime Minister and the Deputy UNP Leader meet they would take a final decision. They would take a good decision like father and son. The two of them had a firm understanding among them. The decision they take would be referred to the UNP working committee for approval. The UNP could not take decision in the manner in which the Rajapaksa family did because it represented all district and provinces," he added.
The UNP Presidential Candidate would be announced soon because they themselves were clamouring for it.
Former Provincial Councillor Lafir Hadjiar and Shanthini Kongahage, Gangawata Korale Pradesheeya Sabha Chairman Subash Yatawara and Kandy's Deputy Mayor Ilahi Abdeen were also present on the occasion.
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