Will make Colombo free of shanties

By Lahiru Pothmulla   

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa said yesterday a future Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) government would make Colombo free of shanties.   

At a forum held at the Foundation Institute in Colombo, he said the yahapalana government showed no interest in going ahead with the project to resettle low-income dwellers at proper housing schemes.   

“The programme to remove shanties and resettle these families at housing complexes was begun when President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was the then Secretary of Defence and Urban Development. A future government of ours will resume this programme and provide proper housing to low income families,” the Prime Minister said.   
He said the Colombo Port City was another project suspended by the yahapalana government. “Had the construction of the port city continued without disruption, most of the project could have been completed by now, providing employment opportunities to future generations,” he said.   

Quote -- The programme to remove shanties and resettle these families at housing complexes was begun when President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was the then secretary of defence and urban development 

*** Had the construction of the port city continued without disruption, most of the project could have been completed by now providing employment opportunities to future generations