SLFP Chairman and Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena was the chief guest.
Speaking during the convention, Prime Minister Ranil Wikremesinghe said that a National Government was formed as the country is in need of a high speed journey to solve the burning issues of the people. The Prime Minister said that both the President and he will take the responsibility to rebuild the country and create a brighter future for the people. He pledged to take the responsibility of creating a new country within 60 months and once again prove that the United National Party is in the hearts of the people in the country.
He further said that he formed a National Government thinking of the future of the children in this country in order to provide them better education, employment and a satisfactory life. He emphasised that he did so to create a country where all living beings can live peacefully.
“If we are to rebuild this country within the span of our lifetime, we need to speed up our journey. A single party government is similar to a three wheel ride on a narrow road with so many bends. The ride is slow and risk of accidents is high. The National Government is similar to traveling in a hybrid car on a four lane highway. The road is clear and you can reach the destination at the correct time. However, you must always be seated wearing the seat belt. If the driver felt sleepy there can be fatal accidents. Our hybrid car has seat belts as well as air bags. Both the President and I are not drivers who feel sleepy during the journey. We reached this position because the others were in deep sleep,” he said.
UNP General Secretary Kabir Hashim, Vice Chairmen Ravi Karunanayake and D.M. Swaminathan, and Deputy Leader Sajith Premedasa also spoke. Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka and a large number of distinguished guests participated.
The Prime Minister paid floral tributes to the statues of all senior party leaders from independent Sri Lanka’s first Prime Minister Right Honorable D.S. Senanayake to former President D.B. Wijetunga.
The event marked a historic milestone as it was the first time in post independence history that a Chairman of the main rival party was invited as the Chief Guest for a UNP anniversary convention. The Prime Minister pledged that he would keep to the promise to build a new country within 60 months by making rapid progress. ,
