President’s Speech at Hambantota

Friends

We are aware that after many centuries Sri Lanka is ready to make a great and significant mark in the world. A symbol of this is the ceremonial intake of sea water to this great port today.

(Full text of the Speech delivered by President Mahinda Rajapaksa on the occasion of the Water filling to Magampura International Port basin in Hambantota on August 15, 2010.)
There were many obstacles to launching this great event in the history of our country. There were many who found fault with us. There was vengeful criticism of us. They blamed us for undertaking this project.They were determined not to let this succeed. They challenged us, and even sought to take legal action against us. But it is now time for all of them to open their eyes to see this reality. The soft rain that fell today and the water that comes in to this port from the sea will wash away all that criticism and objections.

My Dear Sons and Daughters

Throughout our great history there had been many famous ports around this land. The port of Tambapani where King Vijaya landed was located on the north-western stretch of sea below Mannar. Those who arrived in our country for his marriage landed at the Mahathiththa Port also on the north western coast.

On the northern coast, at Point Pedro, was located the great Dambakola Patuna port where the sacred Sri Maha Bodhi was first brought to our land. On the Eastern Coast, below Trincomalee, was located the Lanka Patuna port from where the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha was brought to our land.

After his many conquests abroad King Gajaba returned to the country from Port of Godawaya that is situated a within sight from Ambalantota. Ports and fords such as Kirinda, where Vihara Maha Devi arrived in the South were located in the former Magampura region. Apart from this, the Sri Lankan ports of Mantota and Gokanna are marked in the first map of the world drawn by Ptolemy. This is a cause for great pride to all of us who cherish our heritage.

My Dear Children

But for these great ports the darkness that prevailed over many parts of the world, without development, would have been longer by many centuries. Our ports brought about greater links among the countries of the world and brought fame to our land. Similarly, our Motherland will shine in glory with this ceremonial sea water intake that will fill this new great port. This is a great leap forward to be linked with the international economic system.

Friends

In order to pay due tribute to those heroes who brought freedom to our land there is a responsibility thrust upon us to ensure an independent economy in our country. It is in order to build this independent economic order that the Mahinda Chinthana seeks to build five great centres of progress in our land.

These centres include seaports, airports, power and energy, trade and commerce, and knowledge. These five fold centres of progress will enable us to join the international order to build a national economy that adds to the strength of all communities in our land. It will be an economy that will add value to education and learning, talent and our own national thinking.

We must accept that we finally and forever broke away from the defeatist mentality among Sri Lankans on May 18 last year. This is another day that revives such feelings of pride and victory. Every drop of water that fills up this great port should dissolve and wipe out the feelings of weakness and inability that once prevailed among us.

Therefore, it is not sea water that will fill this port, but the future prosperity of our nation. From this port will emerge our true economic independence! This a great symbol of our moving away from the days when we said we are unable to develop for lack of funds, to a time when we can show how the country can be developed through our own strength.

Friends

In the ocean that we see around us hundreds of ships sail past us every day. These ships that come from the Middle East and African region and others from South East Asia and Oceania sail past us within our sight. A large number of ships that sail between the Indian
Sub-continent and the West are also among these. Through many centuries other countries were enriched by these ships. Recently, when I observed the passage of these vessels past our country, I saw them like heavy traffic moving on Galle Road.

The sea lanes near us were so busy. Some cannot bear to see this changing, with these ships coming here. Therefore, there were many who tried to delay the construction of this port, even by a single day. We must not forget that there are forces that are unhappy to see Sri Lanka join the other great countries of the world.

There are political groups and other organizations that use poverty for their own benefit. They do not like to see the eradication of poverty. They like to see our people continue to suffer in poverty.What they would like to see is continuance of suffering of the people as in the days of Leonard Woolf.

As in fighting a war, in building an independent economy too we must be ready to face many challenges. Having overcome all those challenges we were able to begin the filling of water to this international port within four years. We did this without a cut in power supply to the country. We did this while building the roads and expressways; while seeing to the progress of agriculture, providing the fertilizer subsidy, and ensuring food security.

Friends

We must announce to the world that this is a massive technological achievement built in Sri Lanka. Therefore, we will not anymore be a nation that is satisfied with supplying only fuel and water to ships. This port must lead to the emergence of tens of thousands of employment opportunities.

Today, and in the past, this has always been the expectation of the people of Ruhuna. Great politicians who love the country such as DM and DA Rajapaksa, who were born here in Magampura, had many dreams about this port and its benefits to the people. This is the
realization of all those dreams.

Our Motherland is not a place to dump the waste and discards of other countries. We must transform our country as an economic centre that spreads the national brand name “Made in Sri Lanka” throughout the world. This must lead to Sri Lanka becoming an economic nerve centre.

Today, in what is called the dry and harsh area of Magampura we are building an international airport, international conference and convention centres, international sports stadia, new railways,expressways and tourist regions. Not only the South, Hambantota,Moneragala and Embilipitiya but the entire Eastern region too will become a single vibrant economic region from these infrastructure developments. This development is not confined to a single region. It will help make the entire country one large economic zone.

We have now entered a period of massive development that is not only for this region but covers all regions of the country. In Colombo the sea is being filled up and a new port is being built. The Oluvil harbour will be opened in December. In the Puttalam area there is a
huge power project and a tourism development zone.

There is such a project at Upper Kotmale, too. Railways are being built to Mannar and Kankesanturai in the North and Kataragama in the South. Massive expressways are being constructed in both the North and East. Most of the work on the expressway to the South from the Katunayake International Airport is now complete.

The day is not very far when the new large aircraft will land at the
Mattala International Airport, as they do at Katunayake. We will soon
develop the airports at Palali and Ratmalana too. Large bridges
similar to those at Arugambay, Mannar and Katugastota are being built
throughout the country. The hill country and Rajarata will be
developed through necessary infrastructure to serve the needs of a
modern economy.

The irrigation works at Moragahakanda, Uma Oya and Deduru Oya are
under construction. Large irrigation reservoirs are being restored
after nearly 1000 years. Similarly, several lakhs of acres of new land
are being enriched for cultivation, in the North East and South, too.

In the past five years the poverty levels of the ordinary people have
been reduced, inflation has been brought down, and per capita income
has been brought to the level of 2000 US dollars. In 2005 the per
capita income was 1,050 US dollars.

We achieved this in five years after waiting more than 50 years since
independence. The development of villages was done in this period
through the Gama Neguma and Maga Neguma schemes. The Government is now
working towards a target of raising the standard of living further and
increasing the per capita income to 4000 US dollars in the next five
years.

While seeking to achieve this target, the Mahinda Chinthana – Forward
Vision, is seeking to build a modern road network throughout the
country, with a good market for the produce of the people, the
provision of good education and health services, and to transform this
land with a harsh environment into a land of sustainable growth,
abundance in food and produce, and rich in the blessings of nature.

We are moving towards building a production economy where through
agriculture, industry and varied services we will increase the revenue
of the economy. Those in the Small and Medium Enterprise Sector and
others in Large Scale Enterprise sector are being encouraged to
produce all that is possible within the country.

Our economic policies are being directed towards expanding employment
opportunities to our youth through the development of skills and
higher education. Special priority will be given to further develop
the universities and technological education and training institutes
that are located in areas outside Colombo.

We are now engaged in laying the foundation and building our future.
Ours is the rising economy in Asia. This is our own vision. It is of
our own construction. This new emerging economy will be enriched with
a knowledge economy in addition to the physical and infrastructural
facilities.

Dear children, this is your own future. It is an economy of a middle
income country. It is my vision that you will grow up and spend your
lives under economic conditions very different to those that I grew up
in; in a country that has an economy that is much more fulfilling and
advanced.

We are now preparing to do justice by the people who were subject to
historic injustice by being treated as those living in areas
considered through the centuries as being arid, harsh, uncongenial and
poor. We do not make this a unitary state in terms of land only. By
building a country that is equal in terms of progress and development
we will give new meaning to being unitary.

We will build international relations both politically and
economically. This port will symbolize our non-alignment and
friendship with all. The step forward we take today as a nation will
be one that will see international economic cooperation built through
mutual trust, respect and friendship.

Friends

We must not forget that there are those who had to leave their places
of birth and homes for the construction of this port. They took the
decision about their land and homes, to cooperate with the decision of
the Government, for the cause of development. We remember with honour
that sacrifice they made with the concept of country before self. That
commitment is also an investment in the future.

We must also thank all those who helped complete this great project
nine months ahead of the target. Our gratitude must be extended to the
former Minister of Ports, Mr. Chamal Rajapaksa who steered this work.
Special thanks is due to the Chairman of the Ports Authority, who I
picked for this work when I was Prime Minister, and who has carried
out this work with complete dedication to finish it nine months ahead
of schedule. I must also thank all Sri Lankan and Chinese officials
and technicians who helped make this a reality.

Friends

In the past this country was situated on the Silk Route. Our country
was situated on the route between China and Southern Europe. The offer
by China to build this port that was located in the old Silk Route is
an act that reminds us again of our traditional friendship. I offer my
heartfelt gratitude to our old and traditional friend.

The trade relations between our two countries that were strengthened
by the Rubber-Rice Agreement, contributes today to the further
strengthening of rising trade in Asia, Tourism and Investment
Relations. Many are the other friendly and neighbouring countries too
that have contributed to our development in this manner.

We look forward to expand our relations in tourism, investment and
trade with those countries, too. All of them are partners in our
development. We must express our thanks to them, too.

This is a new port. It is a new port that renews the pride of the past
in our nation. This port, the Colombo Port, the Trincomalee Port and
the Kankesanturai Port, all help to nurture our country. The maritime
and naval economy that is built through this will lead to industries
using new and varied skills, professional services, banking and
financial institutions, and open new paths to take our produce to the
world outside.

My Dear Children

Many countries that lagged behind us at the time we gained
independence have now passed us and gone far ahead. But, we must not
be prepared to copy those countries or work according to the
development models of those nations. Similarly, there is no purpose in
continuing to lament about our lost heritage. What we shall do instead
is to surpass them and reach a stage of stage of overall development
they have not reached, and show new paths and possibilities to the
world.

You are aware that travelers of fame have come to our country in the
past. They described this country to the world in terms of praise as a
Golden Isle or the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. We have now dug into the
earth, broken great rocks, overcome inland and foreign threats,
diverted the sea, and built a great port. This is the time to announce
to the world that through a massive development such as this we have
now entered the path to being the true Wonder of Asia.

Friends

We have freed this country by defeating the world’s most ruthless
terrorists. Similarly, we are now building massive ports such as this,
international airports, expressways, giant power projects, and huge
irrigation schemes.

Therefore, I wish to remind you of another great responsibility that
you have. It is to produce a generation that truly loves the country
and its people, is strong in ethics and good values, wise, respectful
of what is good, and is courageous and brave.

I call on all parents to raise their children as those who show
Maithriya or Loving Kindness towards the country; who show respect to
the temple, church, kovil and mosque. On this historic occasion I call
our children to follow this example of your parents, follow the
righteous path and take ownership of your Motherland.

I wish you a Prosperous Future!

May you be blessed by the Noble Triple Gem