EP Governor on where Province has gone wrong despite all its potential

The Eastern Province blessed with huge amounts of resources remained one of the poorest provinces of the country owing to inaction and lethargy of officials, Eastern Province governor Anuradha Yahampath said yesterday.

Addressing a meeting at the Batticaloa District Secretariat to formulate a sustainable development plan in accordance with the vision of the Vistas of Prosperity programme, the Governor said: “This province accounts for 25 percent of paddy production of the country. Its fishers harvest is 25 percent of the total catch of the country. The milk production, too, is very high, but the province remains one of the poorest in the country. What is the reason for this mismatch? We have not been able to help people reap the benefits of their efforts and the resources the province has.”

 The Governor said that the incumbent government was capable of bringing about a change that was hoped by the people. “This government has leaders capable of developing the country. It is led by those who won the war – a feat that had been only a dream for many because the former governments had the mindset that the war would never be won. Not even the international community thought that our leaders could achieve it. We could have done so because people all alike stood behind the government and supported its war effort. I am sure that the people will stand firm with their unwavering support if they are convinced that we are genuinely engaged in developing this country,” she said, adding that the fault lies in the hands of officials who could not commit themselves hundred percent to developing this nation.

 “My objective is to turn this province into a centre of development. We must understand that time is not a luxury we have and must make use of time wisely to improve the conditions that leads to the despair of people. We should set an example by committing ourselves to this task and then people will follow suit.

“Today, I summoned this meeting for you to meet a team of experts who had worked with dedication to formulate the Vistas of Prosperity programme. I too worked with them and other experts of the Viyath Maga and know that they share the vision of not leaving the task of developing this nation and bringing the country on par with developed nations to another generation. We must be the change and that will ensure that change will take place.”

Prof Praveen Abhayaratne, Prof Lalithasiri Gunaruwan, Chairperson of the Central Environment Authority Attorney-at-Law Darshani Lahandapura, Senior Lecturer Sampath Vahala, former Deputy Director of Customs Samantha Gunasekera, Engineer Ravi de Silva, Arjuna Perera, Madhawa Boteju, Anushka Kumara, Chief Secretary of the Province Tusitha P Wanigasinghe, Secretary to the Governor L.P. Madanayake, all secretaries of the provincial ministers and directors of the provincial institutions were present on the occasion.