President Ranil Wickremesinghe stated that the opposition aimed to halt the initiative designed to advance the country by providing relief to the people. Despite this, the government has focused on easing the burden on people‟s lives over the past two years.
By 2025/2026, the President assured, the government will have created better living conditions for all citizens.
The President urged all Sinhalese, Tamils, and Muslims to unite in working towards this goal.
He emphasized that ensuring the well-being of the people is not a violation of fundamental rights and affirmed his readiness to make any necessary decisions for their benefit.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe made this statement while addressing the “Puluwan Sri Lanka” victory rally at the Kallady Shivananda National School Stadium in Batticaloa today (24).
A notable presence at the event was Mr. Sivalingam, a teacher from Royal College who had taught President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
During his address, the President recalled a lesson from his teacher, attributing his success to a lesson from the Royal College regarding the Emperors of Athens, “We will not bring disgrace to our city, by any act of cowardice or desert our suffering comrades in the ranks” The President highlighted how he overcame the challenge of leading the country and advancing the economy when others were unwilling to take on the task.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe further remarked:
“Mr. Sivalingam, who taught me at Royal College, is on the stage today. He is not only my teacher but also that of Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena. Therefore, he deserves part of the credit for helping recover the country from the economic crisis.
He also taught Mr. Anura Bandaranaike and Mr. Malik Samarawickrama. At Royal College, we had the privilege of learning about the oath of the youth Athenian Empires.
“We will not bring disgrace to our city, by any act of cowardice or desert our suffering comrades in the ranks”, this inspiration guided me in 2022 when I took on the challenge of leading the country, a responsibility that no one else was willing to accept, and worked to advance the nation’s economy. I embraced the challenge of building a better future for the youth by advocating for the people and providing relief. This is why we confidently say, “Puluwan Sri Lanka.”
I took on this challenge during a difficult period. At that time, the opposition leader who had no such guiding teacher fled. Although the opposition Leader was the alternative Prime Minister, he abandoned the people in their time of need. Similarly, Anura Kumara Dissanayake was also missing.
Despite these challenges, we proceeded with our program in collaboration with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). We faced tough decisions, as printing money or taking loans from local banks was not an option. We reduced costs and increased VAT to generate revenue, which ultimately strengthened the rupee.
We also launched the Aswesuma‟ program, increasing allowances for kidney patients and disabled persons by 50%. We provided extensive relief, including a Rs.10,000 allowance for government employees. Currently, we are implementing measures based on the Udaya Seneviratne Committee report.
Starting from 2025, it has been proposed to provide a monthly living expense allowance of Rs. 25,000 rupees to government employees, which we accept. Following this, the starting monthly salary will be Rs. 55,000, inclusive of living expenses. Additionally, an interim pension allowance of Rs. 3,000 has been granted. The interest rate for senior citizen fixed deposits below 1 million has been increased from 8.5% to 10%. The allowance for pre-school teachers has been raised to Rs. 5,000.
Under the “Urumaya” program, we are granting free land rights to 2 million people. Furthermore, 250,000 individuals residing in government flats in Colombo have been fulfilling my responsibilities as President by addressing their needs, advancing the country, and securing a better future for generations to come.
Let us all move forward together. Sinhalese, Tamils, and Muslims must unite to propel the country ahead. By 2025, 2026, I aim to build a prosperous future for the people of this nation. On September 21, vote for the gas cylinder to safeguard your future and contribute to the nation’s development.
