The Daily News Kurunegala Correspondent S.M. Wijayaratne interviewed two political personalities from the Kurunegala District contesting the August 5 General Election – Asanka Nawaratne from the SLPP and H.B. Tennakoon from the UNP. Here they share their views on a variety of topics.
H.B. Tennakoon who is contesting from the UNP for the Kurunegala District.
Q: What do you aspire to do as the UNP candidate of the Nikaweratiya electorate for the people of the Kurunegala District at the forthcoming General Election 2020.?
A: As a politician, I have to dedicate myself to the service of my voters who have placed their confidence in me. I had been an enthusiastic SLFP supporter several years ago. However, my destiny has now paved the way for me to serve my voters under the symbol of ‘Elephant’. The majority of my voters are farmers by profession. They need water and other basic facilities such as fertilizer, marketing facilities, quality seeds, agricultural implements with agrarian expertise to do successfully cultivate their crops. I shall make those requirements available to them with less difficulties to carry on their livelihood projects with confidence and success.
Q: Are you satisfied with the response of your voters for your victory at the General Election 2020?
A: Yes of course. My father Mudiyanse Tennakoon was a founder member of the SLFP. On one occasion, he had to act as the Acting Finance Minister in the Government of Sirimavo Bandaranaike who was the first woman Prime Minister in the world.
He had served the people of the Nikaweratiya electorate with sacrifice, continuously for nearly three decades. After his demise, my sister Soma Kumari Tennakoon was his successor and she officiated as the Nikaweratiya SLFP Chief Organizer until her untimely death several years ago.
Thereafter, I had to represent the people of the Nikaweratiya electorate under the SLFP. Meanwhile, unexpectedly, some unpleasant circumstances forced me to join the UNP. Until recent times, I have worked as the Chairman of the Nikaweratiya PS and I am now the Opposition Leader of the Nikaweratiya PS representing the UNP.
Voters of Nikaweratiya are fully aware of my unbiased service towards them, irrespective of party politics even in the future. My contribution towards agriculture, education, health services, pre-school education and road development during the past several years for the Nikaweratiya electorate was immense and unforgettable to the people. There are more than enough development projects that were launched under my leadership those days for the benefit of people and now the development projects are providing services for the people to witness on their own.
Q: If you are elected as a Parliamentarian at the forthcoming General Election 2020, what type of new development projects are you planning to implement for the people of Nikaweratiya and the Kurunegala District?
A: Well, residents of Nikaweratiya and Galgamuwa electorates of the Kurunegala District are constantly faced with the ongoing threat of wild elephants . About 1,750 houses have been destroyed by wild elephants during the past four years. About 400 residents including farmers were killed by wild elephants during that particular period within the Kurunegala District. Hence, a permanent solution to this plightis an urgent issue to be addressed by the Government for the safety of the people of these areas. Therefore, a durable solution to this human-elephant conflict has to be sought immediately and it will be one of my priorities when I become a Parliamentarian after the next General Election.
There are a number of educated youngsters in my electorate and they are now seeking suitable job opportunities in both state and private sectors. All school leavers of this area must be equipped with vocational training skills for them to qualify for lucrative jobs locally and globally. There is a good demand in the foreign job market for skilled technicians and technologists. Therefore, I will take steps to train jobless youth in my electorate and in the Kurunegala District in different vocations as per their personal choices and interests. In addition, the youngsters of today need good communication skills in the English language and due to the non–availability of that skill , many youths of today idle aimlessly without jobs.
Therefore, free English language study courses would be arranged for the low-income youth who are interested in seeking foreign and local jobs and hence, retired government teachers of English in the Kurunegala District would be utilized for this purpose on a voluntary basis.
In addition, a proper marketing network would be created for the farmers who grow paddy, vegetables, fruits and grains on a commercial basis. Poultry farmers of the Kurunegala District offer the biggest production of eggs for the whole country by now. About 30,000 small-scale poultry farmers are now engaged in this industry as self-employment. These farmers have to be offered with better prospects in their industry. Therefore, I hope to discuss the burning problems of these poultry farmers and farming community in Parliament with a view to searching for remedies to their unattended problems for decades.
People of present-day society seem lacking noble moral values and a downfall in spiritual attitudes and this plight is obvious in the very society where we are now living. Therefore, a systematic and far-sighted programme has to be launched to foster our school student population with noble human values. Hence, the government’s direct involvement in collaboration with the members of the clergy belonging to all faiths is a timely necessity by now. I shall take the lead in that respect from the Kurunegala District with the participation of Dhamma school heads and the government school authorities after August 5.
Q: How do you view the Samagi Jana Balawegaya of Sajith Premadasa who was once the Deputy Leader of the UNP?
A: My personal point of view is that Sajith Premadasa should have waited patiently for some more time with the UNP leadership under Ranil Wickremesinghe. Sajith Premadasa was in a haste to be the leader of the UNP and that wilfull and short-sighted notion ultimately led him towards his own downfall in politics. Therefore, Sajith Premadasa’s future as a political leader seems to be unsuccessful and not fruitful. He is unable to win the faith of the common people as he is surrounded by unpatriotic elements who are spiritually bankrupt to a greater extent. Such unpleasant elements are now in action on political stages and in the media .
Q: What message do you wish to convey to the voters of the Kurunegala District at this momentous hour prior to the General Election?
A: The General Election 2020 is of great importance to all citizens of this country because it is deciding factor of this country in its future in all respects. Intelligent, genuine and people-friendly representatives have to be elected this time for the next Parliament. The new set of MPs should be able to have real commitment with much personal sacrifice for the people. They have to be active in their roles as MPs in materializing the aspirations of the common people of this country. Therefore, the voters of the Kurunegala District have to be wise enough to send a responsible team of MPs to the Parliament this time from the Kurunegala District. It is because our ultimate goal should be the victory to the people for them to enjoy, living a fruitful and meaningful life blessed with peace and happiness.
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