MINISTERS UNABLE TO PERFORM DUE TO CONSTANT PORTFOLIO CHANGES: MALWATTE MAHANAYAKA THERA

Mahanayake Thera of Malwatte Chapter Most Ven. Thibbatuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Thera said the ministers were unable to render an useful service for the people due to frequent change of their portfolios.

He made such remarks when Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera called on him to get his blessings.

The Mahanayake Thera also said that some ministers had to change their portfolios due to their weaknesses and the Minister Mahinda Amaraweera is more suitable for the post of Agriculture Minister than that of the portfolio of fisheries. He said further that the import of seeds that can be produced locally should be restricted and even the bananas had been imported recently. According to him, the minster can contribute a great service to the nation.

Mahanayake Thera of Asgiriya Chapter said that Sri Lanka can be made self-sufficient through the field of agriculture but a large extent of paddy fields had been abandoned and he urged the minister’s attention to promote the locally grown crops.

Minister Amaraweera said that he would popularise the crops that can be grown without chemicals and artificial fertilizer and accordingly, he would expect to distribute jak, drum stick, ‘ Kathuru murunga’ and banana plants for families.

He also said that the President, Maithripala Sirisena has advised him to repair all tanks by 2020 and the attention of the government has drawn to repair small scale tanks within this year to increase the agricultural products.

The Chief Minister of Central Province Sarath Ekanayake and several other ministers also joined the delegation.