Young must take over says Ranil

Saturday, 7 September 2013 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

UNP turns 67, pays tribute to the old, looks to younger membership to shape future
Charges youth have paid a heavy price under the Rajapaksa administration

The country’s Grand Old Party celebrated its 67th anniversary yesterday, paying tribute to its glorious past, while asserting that the future lies with the young generation within the party. Under the theme ‘67 – Victory is Near,’ the United National Party’s youth wing organised the celebration at Sirikotha yesterday. Addressing the future leaders of the party, UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said at 67 years, the party had to look once again to its younger membership to take over the reins and forge the future. “Great leaders have gone before. This party has ushered in many things for Sri Lanka. Under D.S. Senanayake, the UNP brought Sri Lanka electricity, free education, free health and so many things,” Wickremesinghe said. “This party is now 67. I am also past 60. The time has come for the younger people in the party to take over now,” he said. The UNP Leader said that youth had paid a heavy price under the Rajapaksa administration. “Roshan Chanaka, Akila Dinesh, Ravishan Perera – all these were young people under 30 who were slain by this Government; what were their crimes? One opposed a pension scheme, the other asked for clean water, the other was shot while coming home from classes,” charged Wickremesinghe. The youth need to take charge of their future to ensure more people do not go this way, the UNP Leader said. “There must be a regime-changing election next year and we have to go forward. Now there is no going back,” he said. Sri Lanka has a choice to make, the UNP Leader claimed. “We have to decide – are we going the way of the Rajapaksas or are we going towards modernity and freedom?” he charged. Addressing the ceremony, Chairman of the UNP Youth Front MP Ruwan Wijewardane said this would be the UNP’s last anniversary as an Opposition. “You need to break the political-client system – today every aspect of life has been politicised. The youth need to be able to uplift their lives independently under an economic system that treats them fairly,” Wijewardane said. UNP MP Harin Fernando also addressing the crowd at Sirikotha yesterday said that the UNP leadership could make Sri Lanka the wonder of the world, if necessary, but it would do so by building the economy and to build its image internationally. “Our Leader may not be a big talker, but he is a doer. There are talkers and then there are doers – today is the era of the actor,” he charged. The 67th anniversary celebrations were organised by the UNP Youth Front and included a large contingent of young people who had discussions with the party’s leadership.

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