Next party leader will be an educated, intelligent youth: President

30 December 2017 08:01 am - 33 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

A A A

President Maithripala Sirisena said yesterday he would hand over the leadership of the SLFP not to a member of his family but to an educated and intelligent youth who engaged in clean, decent and corruption-free politics.

He said nepotism, corruption, thuggery and misrule had harmed the country and the party and therefore he was determined to build a new political culture and nurture a new breed of politicians untainted by corruption and wrongdoings.

At a meeting held at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium, the President told 7,000 UPFA and SLFP candidates will contest the February 10 LG polls under the betel leaf or hand symbol -- that a corruption-free political culture and a new generation of decent politicians would be born on February 11 and that he and the party was fully committed to achieving this objective.

Going down memory lane he said he participated in the SLFP’s youth convention in 1982 as the President of the party’s youth front under former Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike.

“In 1982, I never had the faintest dream that some day in the future, I will be addressing you as the President of this country and as the head of the SLFP,” the President said.

"This is a vision to hold before you because you are the ones who must take over the leadership of this country and the SLFP. To do that you need to be educated, intelligent, bold and fully committed to desist from corruption, thuggery, misrule or misdeeds. The UPFA and the SLFP will never tolerate corrupt politics or corrupt politicians. We will begin cleaning up the local administration after LG polls,” he said.

He said he hoped to see a set of young politicians who read books, newspapers and engaged in intelligent debates.

"When this new breed of young and clean politicians take over the administration at the grassroots level, the results will influence provincial and national level politics," the President said.

He asked the candidates not to insult or pick up fights with other party candidates during their election campaign.

“You explain your development programmes to voters. You tell them how you are going to resolve their problems and how you will resolve their day to day issues. Never engage in character assassination. You must act as parents, sibling or friend of the voter,” the President said.

He said some people ask what the government did during the past two and half years.

"Certain media institutions fabricated news to fit their agendas. When Russia suspended our tea imports to that country, our detractors were jubilant saying it is the end of our tea industry and is the result of the friendly relations with the global community, the President said. “I rang up Russian President Vladimir Putin and requested him to lift the ban and he responded in positive and friendly manner and it was lifted in two weeks. There is a shortage of urea fertilizer these days. I spoke to Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi requesting his help. He spoke to me a few hours ago and said he will be sending a consignment of 40,000 metric tons of Urea to Sri Lanka immediately. That is the result of our foreign policy."

He said clean politics and clean politicians would never be defeated and that the SLFP and the UPFA would be victorious and pave the way for 2020 general elections and the 2021 presidential election.

UPFA General Secretary, Minister, Mahinda Amaraweera, SLFP General Secretary, Minister Duminda Dissanayaka and Minister S.B. Dissanayaka also addressed the candidates. (Sndun A Jayasekera)

Order Gifts and Flowers to Sri Lanka. See Kapruka's top selling online shopping categories such as Toys, Grocery, Kids Toys, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Clothing and Electronics. Also see Kapruka's unique online services such as Money Remittence,Astrology, Courier/Delivery, Medicine Delivery and over 700 top brands. Also get products from Amazon & Ebay via Kapruka Gloabal Shop into Sri Lanka

Comments - 33

Saman Saturday, 30 December 2017 08:06 AM

At the end totally apposite happens. Old, uneducated, corrupt and dumb.

RDF Saturday, 30 December 2017 12:44 PM

Why start at the grassroot level? Why not start at the top? Why not??

Voter Monday, 01 January 2018 09:11 AM

Seek someone with common sense!!!

ANTON Saturday, 30 December 2017 08:40 AM

WHAT HE WANTED TO CONVINCE IS, SO FAR , ALL LEADERS WERE , RETIRED ,NON EDUCATED , IDIOTS

Yeti Saturday, 30 December 2017 07:58 PM

Whose parent were rich enough to send them to good Colombo schools!!!

Jude Saturday, 30 December 2017 08:43 AM

Hard to believe something like that happening in Lankan politics!!!!! Wishful thinking from MS part, well it's a pipe dream!!!??

dulan Saturday, 30 December 2017 09:03 AM

Are u off you head to say SLFP will not tolerate corrupt persons

Unchikun Saturday, 30 December 2017 09:06 AM

A person who os "clean, decent and corruption-free", in Sri Lanka. Well sir It is a good idea. I think there is no such people in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka Teleom has you brother as chairman and the organization is in tatters. Have a peep!

ANTON Saturday, 30 December 2017 09:12 AM

ACTUALLY, WHAT HE WANTED TO CONVINCE IS THAT SO FAR, ALL THE LEADERS WERE , RETIRED, NON EDUCATED , IDIOTS.

Citizen Perera Saturday, 30 December 2017 12:06 PM

And present day leaders too.....

Lord Wolfstein Saturday, 30 December 2017 10:36 AM

At the beginning of the 1960s, Dr. Martin Luther King said: "I have a dream." At the beginning of 2018, colored people in the United States are still being discriminated.

Countryman Saturday, 30 December 2017 10:55 AM

"Next party leader will be an educated, intelligent youth" - President - Mr. President, it seems you are unable to forecast the future of the country's politics. First, you should understand that SLFP is a dying political party, it cannot give a birth to new leader for this country. Second, the type of person you are referring will never be found in Sri Lankan politics.

Sand Man Saturday, 30 December 2017 11:03 AM

Glad to hear the president talks like this. Good luck to him

DD Saturday, 30 December 2017 11:20 AM

Is the leader who appointed previous CB Governor, an educated, intelligent youth in CLEAN suit?

Lion Saturday, 30 December 2017 11:25 AM

Best choice as the young leader of the party is your daughter.Shr is already showing talents of racking money through an advertising co. With your help. Please appointment mervi of kalaniya as her adviser

Patriotic Voter Saturday, 30 December 2017 11:33 AM

The decent people in this country appreciate your lofty ideals.With. God's Blessings. you will. succeed in this endeavor, Good luck , Your Excellency.

Asoka Saturday, 30 December 2017 11:40 AM

Not only yours...all the ideas of our politicians are brilliant...but continuously failed to walk the talk...at the end a dumb

Leo Saturday, 30 December 2017 12:08 PM

Baby talk. The LG polls will result in the same bunch of morons.

Indrajith Saturday, 30 December 2017 12:16 PM

The president indirectly tells us that his family members are not educated and intelligent by saying that "he would hand over the leadership of the SLFP not to a member of his family but to an educated and intelligent youth".

Chams Saturday, 30 December 2017 12:44 PM

Your son?

ANTON Saturday, 30 December 2017 12:46 PM

DEAR MR. PRESIDENT, WHAT ABOUT DR. MS ? HE IS NOT THAT OLD, HAS A DOCTORATE, MOST IMPORTANTLY HE HAS DUTUGAMUNU SWORD TO PUNISH YOUR OPPONENTS.

sathees Saturday, 30 December 2017 01:10 PM

Dear President, I am with you for this cause, how can I be at your service?

Piyumali Fernando Saturday, 30 December 2017 01:20 PM

Indeed, educated enough to know the name of current prime minister in Pakistan.

FD Saturday, 30 December 2017 02:03 PM

In a mud. He himself admitted who is he..... ! (In Sinhala Katin Bathala Hitawana).... What a joke?

ceylon Saturday, 30 December 2017 02:17 PM

dont assign a idiot like you. via DM Android App

Leel Saturday, 30 December 2017 05:51 PM

His rhetorics,what happened so far was totally opposite to the his speech, remaining period will be same. First you remove your brother from telecom. That appointment is not nepotism? Then how he became the chairman of the telecom just after your victory at the last presidential election?

Tony Saturday, 30 December 2017 06:32 PM

Who do you have in mind your son or one of MR's three. Youth means are disregarding your novelist and Stoke on Trent educated faughter.

chutta Saturday, 30 December 2017 07:00 PM

Plan B for Daham????????????????????

Peter Saturday, 30 December 2017 07:27 PM

The President is a fraud and a con man who deceived the masses when he was elected. His hands are tained with corruption in the previos regime and so it is in the current regime with his goonsWe do not know why the Mahanayakes are not intervening in these social matters by the corrupt Presient as it is leading the country to turmoil.The JVP and Tigers started a revolution not only on racial matters but economic constraints and corrupt leadership. The same kind of manifestation exists to day with the corrupt leadership. The revolts have taken place in Africa,Middle East and South America.It will happen in Sri Lanka unless a remedy for the economic ills is found. ,

Park Saturday, 30 December 2017 07:28 PM

Excellent statement, in order to make this dream come true, the President should first get rid of all the uneducated and corrupt politicians from the Parliament. If not they will some or other spoil the chances of an educated, clean, young politician succeeding.

Eds Sunday, 31 December 2017 09:46 AM

And thank god it certainly won't be you the next time around!

chan Sunday, 31 December 2017 05:45 PM

Did u put an educated and intelligent candidates in LG polls. Dear sir, Please u start and continue. We gave vote to do that.

Observer Sunday, 31 December 2017 08:26 PM

Where do we find that "inelegant educated youth"? We are waiting!

Add comment
Comments will be edited (grammar, spelling and slang) and authorized at the discretion of Daily Mirror online. The website also has the right not to publish selected comments.

Next party leader will be an educated, intelligent youth: President

Comments - 33

Add comment

RECOMMENDED

UDA owned land in Thalawathugoda; UDA Minister Prasanna Ranatunga under the spotlight for forceful occupation of reserved land

Loss-making SMIB faces political pressure in recovering loans

Baltimore Bridge Collapse: MV Dali, SL authorities anchored in mystery?

Has Sri Lanka become a potential hub for the illegal wildlife trade?

Spotlight on Moragahakanda Development Project Moragolla villagers lose livelihoods and down to one meal a day

Ambitious Sri Lankan jobseekers ‘trafficked into Ukraine war zones’

Western purple-faced langurs see blue!

Most Viewed in News

Belgian traveller scammed in Kalutara

A US “Kaputa”, a Lankan “Nariya” and a Presidential “Feast”

Street food vendor arrested for verbally harassing foreigner

SL on alert on possible genocide allegations by Canada

23 year old youth ends up having his testicles removed

April 15 declared a government holiday

MIRROR CRICKET

TODAY'S HEADLINES