PARTY HASN’T FORGOTTEN GRASS-ROOT LEVEL MEMBERS: UNP GENERAL SECRETARY

Enterprise Development Minister Kabir Hashim, who is also the General Secretary of the United National Party(unp), said though the party was unable to support its grass-root level members properly, they had not been forgotten.

He said that the UNP , which wields more than 50 percent of state power, could not fulfill the aspirations of UNP supporters withing the last two and half years. The Minister was addressing a meeting of the party’s electoral organization in Hewaheta, Kandy.

He said the government of former President the late J.r.jayawardene which enjoyed five-sixth of Parliament majority, took three years to provide employment . However, he said that government took steps to start investment zones only in 1984.

“If the people ask for jobs within such a short period of time like two and half years, it is not a reasonable demand,” he said. He said, “President Maithripala Sirisena was elected with the support of UNP 95% votes . People said that the UNP could not raise its head until 20 years. Although, the Minister Duminda Dissanayake and M.K.A.D.S. Gunawardena took steps to join the Good Governance government first, many persons followed that decision.”

He said that UNP government is confronted with a number of problems and the problems had become acute because the suitable actions were not taken at the appropriate time.

He said, “The previous government could have sorted out the Meetotamulla garbage problem, SAITM crisis and the debt burden. They had not taken any remedial actions and that is why the present government is confronted with such problems. “