Sajith shows his colours at Galle Face Green
In 1993, Sajith Premadasa returned to Sri Lanka from London to attend the funeral of his father R Premadasa, the then president of the country. Thereafter, he never left Lanka’s soil seeking refuge elsewhere. But neither did he stay in Colombo Central’s Keselwatta, his father’s home and stronghold. This is where the father’s seat carefully nurtured for the son to occupy when the father died lay in waiting.
But Sajith was of a different mettle. He did not want to slide into his father’s chair. He wanted to plough his own field. He chose Hambantota as his port of call to build his political base. For the last 26 years he has been doing just that. Helping the people, inquiring into their welfare, building them homes, donating money to temples and of course searching for jumbos in the wilds of Yala to shoot on camera, a pursuit indulged with passion.
In 2015, when the coalition government came into power, UNP Leader and Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe gave him the Ministry of Housing as his portfolio and within this short period of four and a half years he has constructed thousands of homes. Today, he has been made the UNP’s presidential candidate. He has been the chosen one. The working committee has decided. The executive committee has approved it. And the party’s rank and file membership have unanimously ratified it. This Thursday he launched his election campaign for the presidency with an inaugural rally held at Galle Face Green in Colombo.
Here he declared to a massive audience what he had to offer the people of Lanka should he win.
New innovations and digital technologies will be used to develop the country. Will enter foreign markets by developing production centered economy.
Will encourage export based production and economy.
We will strengthen the women by introducing charter, through that economically, socially and politically women will be secured. Their rights protected. More relief to the farmers and give a guaranteed price for production through a charter.
A charter would be introduced for the fishermen.
Will also create a charter for the working people and without damaging the entrepreneurship would up lift their lives. A lasting labour charter will be introduced.
The economy will be strengthened by dividing subjects scientifically. Will use a team of scientific experts and professionals the task of strengthening the economy.
The Samarudhi will be further strengthened; apart from the Samurdhi, will introduce a new relief package, a development package. Every person who gets Samurdhi will also get these relief packages as well. will create industrial areas at every divisional secretariat in order to stop unemployment.
It has taken him 26 years after his father’s death to come to this position where he stood poised on the threshold of destiny to win the election and become the seventh Sri Lankan Executive President with the opportunity to bring the nation out of its doldrums. His father, R Premadasa was the last elected UNP president. Will the son follow in his footsteps and emerge as the third elected UNP president? November 16th will say.