Wastelands being diverted into tea cultivation and those of the plantation sector, who were labourers all their lives, being made owners of small tea estates would be a realistic and practical process, but some groups mock this proposal, said Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa, addressing the occasion of donating a bus to Hatton Cambridge College in Kotagala yesterday (29), the 38th donation of its kind, as part of the ‘Sakwala’ initiative introduced by the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) to accomplish the sustainable goal of providing comprehensive facilities for the education of the children of Sri Lanka.
The Opposition Leader pointed out that those who mocked the aforementioned suggestion of his gained power only to drive the people of this country into hell and burn it down by provoking racism. These groups, who are responsible for burning the country down to ashes, are now in an attempt to rise from those ashes, he added, warning that whether they should regain power will be decided by the people.
Beneath every tea plant are the suffering and tears of the plantation community, he went on, adding that the Rajapaksa regime should be held accountable for the sin of dragging the people into hell.
Premadasa promised that the SJB will initiate an education, health, economic and social revolution and formulate a programme to raise the standard of living of the plantation community.
MIAP
