Monday, 23 September 2013 01:22
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The Government and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) yesterday separately expressed willingness to work together for the common good of people’s welfare and development in the north.
Following their emphatic victory the TNA said it was ready to work with the Government to resolve Tamil issues.
“We are ready to work with the Government. That does not mean we are going to join the Government,” said Northern Province Chief Minister Elect C.V. Wigneswaran at a media briefing in Jaffna. The former Supreme Court Judge won an overwhelming 132,255 preferential votes as TNA swept the northern polls.
Separately the Government expressed its willingness to work alongside the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) in continuing the development agenda in the north.
Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa said the TNA must realise that great responsibility now comes with the power it has been bestowed with to uplift the people of the area and to support the development of the communities.
“The power they receive must be directed towards the good of the people and development. They must also ensure that their work resonates the principle of ‘one country, one body’ that the Government is keen to promote. The minority in the north are the Sinhalese and the Muslims and they must also be protected at all times,” Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa told journalists at a briefing in Colombo yesterday.
“The UPFA’s loss in the north should in no way be connected to the efforts of the ‘Uthuru Wasanthaya’ program which focused on various areas of development in the north,” he said, assuring that the Government’s plans to develop the area would in no way be hindered due to the results of Saturday’s election. “We will continue our plan and look forward to working with the TNA to ensure that development and progress expected is as it should be,” Minister Rajapaksa said.
“‘Uthuru Wasanthaya’ was what the people needed. That was a separate effort from the election work,” Rajapaksa added.
