Pioneer in introducing organic farming to Sri Lanka - PM
Salinda Dissanayake’s political life is no ordinary journey and despite his illustrious political career, farming was in his heart and he took a great interest in organic farming without the use of chemicals and harmful pesticides, said Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe joining the condolence vote of the late UPFA-MP Salinda Dissanayake in parliament yesterday.
“After the assassination of Vijaya Kumaratunga, Salinda Dissanayake was concerned about the safety of Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and took measures to ensure her safety. He was very interested in politics from a very young age and having joined the JVP struggle in 1971 he ended up being arrested. Dissanayake was a clever individual and succeeded in anything he undertook. During his political career he had forged a friendship with Uma Maheswaran and as Dissanayake was very concerned about the safety of Chandrika Bandaranaike, he took him to the North and Dissanayake received weapons training.
Through that he was able to forge ties with several Tamil groups in the North. I had met him during that period,” the Prime Minister said. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe noted that Salinda Dissanayake was more interested in agriculture than politics. “He was also a pioneer in introducing organic farming to Sri Lanka and even succeeded in becoming the third farmer in the world to record a harvest of 367 bushels of paddy per acre.
Until the time of his death, he never gave up farming and was a dedicated farmer. He had the ability to combine agriculture with politics and it was through this amalgamation that he was able to win the hearts and minds of the people of Hiriyala and win the elections.”
Enormous compensations paid for Kandy Highway lands - Minister
The people whose lands were acquired for the construction of the Colombo-Kandy Expressway have been granted three fold compensation of its assessed amount, Public Enterprise, Kandyan Heritage and Kandy Development Minister and Leader of the House Lakshman Kiriella said.
He said people during his site visits to the construction areas had told him that they were given such an enormous amount for the lands acquired from them.Minister Kiriella further said that he identified 25,000 plots of lands and acquired them for the construction of the same Expressway as the Minister who initiated the massive project.
The Minister also said that anyone who thinks that the compensation granted to them was not ample, they could make an appeal. He added that the same appeal could be directed to the Finance Ministry as the chief assessor is there. Minister Kiriella made these observations in response to a query made by MP Dayasiri Jayasekara during the round of questions for oral answers.
A humble scholar who never exhibited them - Opposition Leader
Salinda Dissanayake was a talented and educated politician who could work in any field, Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa said.He made these observations joining the condolence vote on UPFA MP Salinda Dissanayake who died on August 5, 2019 at the age of 61.
Opposition Leader said Salinda Dissanayake was an engineer by profession yet he had obtained a doctorate in the veterinary field. He was such a humble scholar that he never exhibited his capacity of education even within the House. He was a sportsman and interested in cricket. He took measures to develop the cricket in Kurunegala as well.
The Opposition Leader also said that in addition to these, he was also interested in farming. He had a commendable knowledge in the subject and had cultivated almost all the traditional paddy varieties of the country.
Opposition leader also said that Salinda Dissanayake had revealed on the agreements entered into by the government few days before his demise in a discussion with the educated crowd in Kurunegala. “His demise is a great loss to the country and the politics in the country for he was one who practiced clean politics,” Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa said.
Salinda espoused organic farming - Dinesh
Mahaja Eksath Peramuna Leader Dinesh Gunawardena said MP Salinda Dissanayake took measures to promote organic farming in the country.He added that he also was exemplary and engaged in organic farming and cultivated traditional paddy varieties. He made these observations joining the condolence vote on UPFA MP Salinda Dissanayake who died on August 5, 2019 at the age of 61.
He said that Salinda Dissanayake was a politician who loved the people in his area. He always engaged in harmless and democratic politics. He was educated and rendered a great service to the people in the North Western Province.
PM’s strategic policy, economic vision helped boost stock market - Eran
The reliability and trust on the Colombo Stock Market was established nationally and internationally due to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s industrial strategic policy and economic vision, Finance State Minister Eran Wickramaratne said.He said the former Finance Minister and the Central Bank Governor damaged the same trust incurring a loss of Rs.12 billion to the EPF and many losses.
He also said that Ranil Wickremesinghe in 1990 freed the Stock Market transactions from Capital Tax and the government in 2017 ensured the same policy. He added that the government took measures to open the Multi Currency Board in March this year at the Colombo Stock Market for the first time in Sri Lankan history to encourage the foreign investors.
He also said that the fall in the stock market is also a result of a long practiced policy and not a result of an overnight procedure.He made these observations in response to a query made by MP Bandula Gunawardena during the round of questions for oral answers.MP Gunawardena inquired as to if the trust on the stock market has been lost under this government.He also queried as to why the exchange rate which increased from Rs.26 in the face of dollar during 10 years of the previous government, increased by Rs.50 during the four and half of years under this government.