Gotabhaya vows to end deploying personnel for development activities sans wages

Presidential candidate Gotabhaya Rajapaksa today (Oct 28) said he would end deploying security personnel for development activities, without paying salaries.

“During the previous government we paid large sums of money through construction companies, for civil security forces personnel who voluntarily joined development activities,” the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) presidential candidate told a rally in Ampara.

He claimed that the current government has been using the services of these personnel in development activities across several areas especially Colombo, without paying them salaries.

The former defence secretary blamed the current government for disabling intelligence units by imprisoning intelligence officers on “absurd charges”, resulting in the Easter Sunday attacks this year.

“Under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, we defeated terrorism and implemented a security plan to ensure that terrorism does not raise its head again,” he recalled.

Rajapaksa, reiterated his promise to uplift the farming community by providing them free fertiliser and waiving off their loans.

He said that he would introduce latest technology to develop agriculture, and ensure proper management of water resources to ensure nourishment in the country.

Another key promise he made was to introduce a “simple and transparent” tax system under his rule.