There has been no progress at all in the East since the end of the war, said the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe while speaking at an event today Sunday, August 20.

The premier said that, in terms of developing Trincomalee, the Urban Planning Agency of the Singaporean Govt. has been given the task to draft a plan.

“Once this is concluded, over the next 10 to 15 years, we can gradually obtain investments and direct government funding under a single plan, to develop this port”, he said.

PM Wickremesinghe also pointed out that ‘Tourism development is key’, adding that the East can be developed like the South.

“We are also working to develop domestic airports. The Batticaloa airport has been developed. We have also commenced work on the Hambantota Port, and by the end of this year a separate company will be entrusted with the Mattala Airport”, said the premier.

‘The country’s national resources since independence’

Speaking at a separate event, JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake pointed out the state of Sri Lanka’s national resources after 69 years of independence.

“When the white man left in 1948, there was a massive tea garden in the hill country. There were tea estates extending to the horizon. There was tea in storage.

What has happened now? All of the tea bushes have been cut and only the withered bushes are left.

When the ‘white man’ was here –

• Lands adjacent to the Somawathiya Chaithya – owned by the people
• Hambantota coast – owned by the people
• Isles of Kalpitiya – owned by the people
• Lands in Ulhitiya – owned by the people

Today?

• Lands adjacent to the Somawathiya Chaithya – belongs to American Dole company
• Hambantota coast – belongs to China
• Isles of Kalpitiya – belongs to Denmark and India
• Lands in Ulhitiya – belongs to American Dole company

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