Johnston says govt will plod on with development drive whatever the obstacles thrown by enemies

Dogs might bark but the caravan would move on and in the same way the government would go forward despite obstacles created by the opposition, Chief Government Whip and Highways Minister Johnston Fernando said.

The minister said so during a ceremony at the commencement of the work of the first section of 3,279 precast concrete sections of the Port Access Elevated Highway from Ingurukade Junction to the Colombo Port City, using the precast concrete bridge technology for the first time in the country.

He said: I am so happy and proud that with this project our engineers will have hands-on experience with the latest technology in the world because it is the first time in this country a pre-cast bridge is being constructed as an elevated highway. This project would have been completed several years back had it not been for the 2015 regime change which deprived the people of this country the opportunity to enter an expressway from Hambantota and exit at Galle Face within a couple of hours. This project had been planned and was designed after consultation with the Asian Development Bank in 2014 by then President Mahinda Rajapaksa in his capacity as the minister of Ports and Highways. If there was no regime change this expressway would have been in use by the people for years. The Yahapalana regime suspended many projects commenced by President Mahinda Rajapaksa because of their jealousy and hatred towards him. If they did not do so the port city would have been fully functional today. If you can recall the very same machinery which is running the fertilizer issue campaign today was working full time then against the port city project. JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake calculated and convinced people using figures that the sea could not be reclaimed to build the port city even if we use crushed stones from all the rocks in the country. That government suspended the port city project but had to resume its constructions later after giving more acres away from this country’s hold.

 “This is a mega development project which includes not only the elevated highway but also a six lane tunnel route at a cost of Rs 28 billion. We continued to work despite there being many challenges. In the face of covid-19 pandemic this government continued its development work while protecting the lives of people.  We are thankful to the port authority men and women who rendered a yeoman service in maintaining supplies of essential items. We never forget the services by the health workers, labourers as well as police and tri-forces who shouldered the task of keeping development going amidst the pandemic by providing their services without disruption. It was those who did nothing and kept criticising the government like Sajith Premadasa and his men who peddled conspiracy theories. They spent their time finding fault with the President and the government instead of acting as a responsible opposition to help the government to save the lives of the people.

Among those present at the launching ceremony were Ports and Shipping Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena, Rural Roads and Other Infrastructure State Minister Nimal Lanza, Secretary to the Ministry of Highways R.W.R. Pemasiri, Project Director of the Port Access Elevated Highway project and other ministry officials.