President to visit villages to address people’s grievances

• First inspection tour to Haldummulla DS, people requested to present their grievances
• Expenditure of tours to be kept at minimum possible levels, no officials from Colombo

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has decided to witness the difficulties faced by fellow citizens first hand and provide immediate solutions to their grievances at village level.   

The Haldummulla Divisional Secretariat Division of the Badulla District has been selected for the first inspection tour. The public gathering was held at Kumarathenna Vidyalaya, 100 Acre Village, Haputale on 25 September.

 “While touring the country during the Presidential and General Election campaigns President Rajapaksa came to realise that people in remote areas suffer a great deal due to a number of long-drawn unresolved economic and social problems,” the President’s Media Division said in a statement.

Issues pertaining to livelihood, shortage of lands and houses, unavailability of undisputed deeds for lands, inadequate health and transportation facilities, shortages in school and other educational issues, inaccessibility to drinking and farming water, elephant intrusions, and difficulty in selling their produce were some of the major difficulties identified.

“The inefficient and lethargic conduct of the public institutions, which are entrusted with the task of identifying and solving the issues of the rural communities, is another prominent problem,” the PMD statement added.

“The President’s inspections visits to the villages are organised to give priority to the people. The expenditures relating to these tours will be kept at minimum possible levels. Officials from Colombo will not accompany him. When solving the issues public officials in respective area will be involved.

“People are requested to explain their grievances to the President at these public meetings. The President’s objective is to provide solutions for the public issues on the spot in every possible circumstance. The issues which will take time to solve will be noted down for future reference.”

The selected Haldummulla Divisional Secretariat has two Grama Seva Divisions, where 222 families reside. Their main livelihoods are paddy, black pepper, cinnamon and chena cultivation. There are only 17 students receiving education at Kumarathenna Vidyala, the location of the public gathering.