VOTE BAGS OF MATARA DISTRICT IN PRESIDENT'S POCKET

A.A.M.NIZAM MATARA.

Congratulations Mr. President. - People of Matara District will undoubtedly be appreciative of the farsighted decisions taken by the President in the selection of organisors for Matara District. Decisions taken by H.E. the President to appoint Minister Mr. Dallas Alahapperuma as Matara District SLFP Leader, Mayor Mr. Upul Nishantha as Matara SLFP Organisor and Provincial Council Minister Mr. Sosendra Handunge as Matara District SLFP Organisor will be enthusiastically welcomed by each and every SLFPer in the District. The President’s rightful decisions have restored the status of the SLFP as a party of the ordinary masses and sons of the soil and not an organ of the elites. The President has also rightfully rewarded them for being the candidates who obtained highest number of votes in all elections they contested although it was otherwise in the past.

Mr. Dallas entered politics by contesting the Provincial Council Elections in 1993 and obtained the highest number of preferential votes in that election. Next he contested the 1994 Parliamentary Election and again obtained the highest number of preferential votes in the election in which the former Minister Mr. Mangala Samaraweera obtained only the 5th place out of the 5 victorious PA candidates from the District. However, elitist Chandrika did not give due recognition to the choice of masses and Mr. Dallas was forced to remain as a back-bencher while Mr. Samaraweera was elevated to be one of the powerful Ministers in the government.

Mr. Upul Nishantha obtained the highest number of preferential votes in the first election he contested for the Matara Urban Council and again in the recent Municipal Council election. Similarly Mr. Handunge obtained the highest number of preferential votes in the Pradeshiya Sabha Election he contested for the first time before contesting for the Pronvicial Council.

The President’s these rightful decisions have built confidence in the masses of Matara District that the SLFP is a party of the rural masses and the sons of the soil and it would first and foremost attention to the needs of the rural masses who had been oppressed by the urban elites.