Namal Rajapaksa, presidential candidate of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) and Member of Parliament, has emphatically declared that no “economic stars” have ever matched the brilliance of his father, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Speaking at a general meeting in Halawata, Arachchikattu, Namal asserted that Sri Lanka has never experienced economic growth comparable to that during his father’s tenure.
Currently, Sri Lanka’s economy stands at around $80-85 billion. Namal confidently promised that under his leadership, this figure would more than double to $180 billion. He outlined an ambitious program that includes creating two million jobs for the nation’s youth over the next decade.
“If Mr. Sanath Nishantha were here today, he would be at the forefront of my election campaign. Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa never betrayed our camp, no matter the challenge,” Namal stated, emphasizing loyalty within the party. He praised the contributions of Puttalam District supporters and highlighted the similarities between the Puttalam and Hambantota districts.
“We know the opinions of these people. We developed these villages because we understand the environment in which they live. We wanted to provide the same facilities and income opportunities to the children of these villages as those in the city,” he said.
Namal criticized the current government’s policies, accusing them of favoring imports over local production. “According to the current government policy, everything is brought from abroad. Energy problems arose because not even one megawatt was added to the power grid during the previous government. That is why the Gotabaya Rajapaksa government had to cut electricity,” he argued.
He acknowledged past missteps, such as the controversial shift to organic fertilizers that angered farmers. “We believed that agriculture in this country should be free from poisons. We wanted to grow. I am implementing the agriculture policy of Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa,” Namal said, expressing a commitment to rectify past mistakes.
Emphasizing the need to support local businesses and entrepreneurs, he stated: “Foreign investors should be brought in, but local entrepreneurs must be protected. We need to strengthen cooperative and rural banks to provide capital to businesses at low interest rates.”
Namal also touched on the importance of modernizing the public service through digitization to eliminate inefficiencies like long queues. He took a swipe at his political opponents, suggesting they lack innovative ideas and rely on outdated policies. “Some candidates often believe in westernization, not modernization. We do politics with the belief and program that we should take our country towards modernization,” he remarked.
Concluding his speech, Namal expressed confidence in the SLPP’s vision and the loyalty of its supporters. “Some parties are now saying that the ‘Pohottuwa’ (lotus bud symbol of SLPP) is over. They say not to attend our meetings. But when I go to meetings, I see the people’s support. Those who protect our culture will go early on the 21st and vote for the ‘Pohottuwa’.”
The meeting was part of the SLPP’s efforts to rally support ahead of the upcoming presidential election, with a focus on economic development, job creation, and safeguarding local industries.
