President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday said politicians should utilise assets for development according to a proper plan designed in consultation with the authorities, without squandering public money by implementing them arbitrarily.

President Rajapaksa was speaking at a Kalutara District Special Development Committee meeting at the Eden Grand Hotel in Aluthgama.

The progress and the flaws of the development projects implemented in the Kalutara district and the complaints sent by the public were discussed at the meeting. The President said the final benefits of all these projects should pass on to the public and the money and lands utilised in a manner that brings maximum benefits to the country.

He said District Development Committee meetings are not political meetings and he had come to the district to solve the issues of the public, so that all government and Opposition politicians, irrespective of their party politics, have to take part.

The President stating that he had instructed members to attend the meeting, said the people have elected members to solve their problems and members have a responsibility to attend such meetings.

He said it was noteworthy the Opposition members get the best benefits at the Consultative Committee meetings in Parliament.

Senior Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, Ministers Basil Rajapaksa, Kumara Welgama, Mahinda Samarasinghe, Reginold Coorey, Deputy Minister Nirmala Kothalawala, Parliamentarian Vidura Wickremanayake, Provincials Council, Pradeshiya Sabha members, Secretary to the President Lalith Weerathunga and government officials attended the meeting.

By Sandasen MARASINGHE
Source: Daily News (Sri Lanka)