He made these remarks addressing the public gathering yesterday at Norwood Public Ground in Hatton held under the patronage of visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The meeting was held in parallel to the opening of the new ward complex of the Dickoya District Hospital. President Maithripala Sirisena and other local and foreign dignitaries participated at this meeting.

PM Wickremesinghe while saying that this hospital fulfills a much needed requirement of the area expressed his greatfulness for the Prime Minister and the government of India for funding and supporting the project. “As well as PM Modi, Sri Lanka too is dedicated to strengthen the ties between the two countries”, he said.

According to the Prime Minister Wickremesinghe, after receiving the power, the unity government under the leadership of President Maithripala Sirisena has brought a huge development in the upcountry region. All the Sinhalese, Tamils, and Muslilms living in the country are Sri Lankans, he added.

He said that the unity government will be expediting the program to provide a 7-perch land each within the next two years. Receiving the support from India for this initiative shows the cultural, economic, democratic and political relationship between the two countries”, PM Wickremesinghe said.

The government had allocated money to implement a giant program such as to make the 13-year school education compulsory, provide vocational training and the science education, and provide access for universities, he further said.