President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has called on the local government representatives to join hands to move forward with the government’s policy and development campaign.

Development work must continue while fulfilling the expectations of people on the government, the President said, adding that the issues faced by people must be resolved through proper implementation of the government’s plans.

President Rajapaksa made these remarks addressing the meeting of local government representatives held at the Diyatha Uyana at Battaramulla on Friday (March 26). Local government representatives from Western, North-western and Southern provinces had attended the said meeting.

Speaking further, the President said the country will inevitably plunge back into despair if the policies fall through. The President said he expects the same support and commitment from people given to bring the current administration to power when taking forward the government’s policies and course of action.

The President said he is committed to eradicating poverty and providing better living conditions to people within the next five years.

He said it is important that local government representatives have a broad understanding of people’s issues when moving forward with the rural development programme. He urged them to help make the rural development programme a success not only through their political leadership but also through administrative leadership.

The President went on to note that the Opposition is spreading false propaganda on the government’s development programme. He called on the local government representatives to rectify such false propaganda.

Ministers Janaka Bandara Tennakoon and Prasanna Ranatunga, State Ministers Roshan Ranasinghe and D.V. Chanaka and MPs Udeni Atukorale, Sumith Udukumbura, Sagara Kariyawasam, Milan Jayathilake, Madhura Vithanage, Jayantha Ketagoda and Sudath Manjula were present at this meeting.