Colombo is beautiful with its religious and cultural diversity - PM Harini

Colombo is beautiful with its religious and cultural diversity, and therefore, the residents should unite and transform the area into the most beautiful city, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya has stated.

Prime Minister Amarasuriya, while addressing public gatherings in Colombo, said the National People’s Power (NPP) has managed to unite all factions without any discrimination.

Addressing the gatherings, Prime Minister Amarasuriya further stated that the annual revenue of the Colombo Municipal Council is Rs. 30 billion, which is recognised as one of the wealthiest local government bodies.

She said, despite the wealth and the potential, those who governed the city did not have empathy for the people nor a genuine desire to uplift the lives of the residents.

The Prime Minister stated that the first image that comes to mind when referring to the Colombo Municipal Council is that of a den of corruption, an institution where funds are squandered and no meaningful work is accomplished. She said that image must change.

“In 2024, the people of this country commenced a journey to transform the nation. They made two historic decisions at the Presidential and Parliamentary elections to change the course of our country’s history. As a result, we now have a government that represents all citizens, a government that echoes the voices and addresses the needs of every one of you,” Prime Minister Amarasuriya said.

“Our opponents say many things about us, but they cannot accuse us of corruption. We safeguard public funds. Since the day President Anura Kumara was elected, we have demonstrated how a government should be run.
 
“I know that all of you have dreams, and the children here dream of a bright future. We must reform our education system. Just as we have taken responsibility for preschools through the Municipal Council, we are making great efforts at the national level to rebuild the education system.

“Through the first budget we approved in March this year, we have allocated funds for preschools, road construction, water management, waste management, and drainage systems. These allocations address issues that have long affected your daily lives. These funds were gathered through significant sacrifices for the benefit of the people. We cannot allow them to fall into the hands of the corrupt. Hence, we need to clean up the Municipal Council. We have much more work to do. It has only been six months since we assumed office, and much remains to be done. While we have stabilised the economy, the next step is to achieve economic growth,” added the Prime Minister.