An insurance and a pension for farmers : Gotabaya Rajapaksa

COLOMBO (News 1st)-Presidential Candidate of the SLPP Gotabaya Rajapaksa attended several campaign rallies in the Monaragala District today(October 29). Gotabaya Rajapaksa was warmly welcomed in Bibila. Son of former Minister Vijith Wijayamuni, Udara Wijiayamuni also attended the rally. Shashendra Rajapaksa, former Chief Minister: "We don't appoint leaders for this country according to our own whims and fancies. But there was a time where that happened. But now we are not ready to be deceived like that. All of us are waiting for a leader who can retrieve this nation and this country and who can carry out that responsibility. Mahinda Rajapaksa is the President of our hearts. We were given a leader on par with him who can build this country with a good election policy. All of us know that it is none other than our beloved Gotabaya Rajapaksa." Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Presidential Candidate of the SLPP: "Most of these people are involved in the agriculture sector. Still, about 33% of the people are depending on agriculture. Farmers can earn a large amount of money while spending only a little especially through water management, good fertilizer management and selection of seeds. For this, we will make a big investment and work towards bringing technology to the farmer. Also, we are hoping to provide insurance and pension payment for the farmers when we come into power. We know that a large number of people in this area grow pepper. But the market for pepper has gone down because we import pepper of bad quality and re-export it across the world. We will put a permanent stop to the export of products of low quality. We know the fate that has befallen on the rubber industry. Because we export rubber most people don't cut the rubber tree. But we can get good value for our rubber. All of this has happened because we do not focus on the agriculture sector and listen to foreign consultants. They say that we can export goods at a cheaper price. The only way we can direct the youth to the agriculture sector is through implementing a mechanism to give a better income to the farmers using technology." Consequently, Gotabaya Rajapaksa attended the rally held in Monaragala. Gotabaya Rajapaksa: "A plan is in place to develop this country through various fields like the agriculture sector, the tourism industry and through technology. All the projects we have presented and all the solutions we have presented are practical. These, we have not received from foreign consultants. We presented these solutions after thoroughly holding discussions with professionals, intellectuals, entreprenuers and businessmen of this country for 4 years. Also, our government will invest a lot in the education of the youth that will play a key factor in grooming this economy. With today's technology, there are opportunities to do a good job and earn a good living after studying ICT. Also, you can be self-employed. It is happening in India. We have to learn from those examples. There is a newly established Univesity called Soho University in India. They recruit the youth specially from the rural areas and train them to earn a large sum of money in a short period of time. I visited Jaffna yesterday. Then I got to know that the same University is training youth from Kilinochchi. We can train these youth coming from rural areas. These are the things that should be done as a government."