The Hon. M.S. Abthul Wazeeth

¶ 01 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

¶ 02 Hon. Deputy Speaker, first I thank the Almighty who enabled me to enter this august Assembly. I also send blessings upon our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

¶ 03 I wish to remember the late founder-leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, M.H.M. Ashraff; our Party’s present National Leader, former Minister and Attorney-at-Law, Hon. Rauff Hakeem; our Party’s Secretary-General and President’s Counsel, Hon. Nizam Kariapper; other Members of Parliament of our Party; members of the Party High Command; our Party’s local authority chairmen and vice chairmen; and the people of Batticaloa, Ampara and the whole country who voted for the “tree” symbol of the SLMC, which made it possible for us to receive a National List seat.

¶ 04 Hon. Deputy Speaker, I stand here today as the fourth of eight children born to the late Presidential Award-winning farmer Alhaj K.P.M. Sareef and Sauwra Umma. Though my father is no longer alive, I wish to remember in this august Assembly the man who was instrumental in my arriving here as a Member of Parliament.

¶ 05 I also wish to remember the late former MP M.P.A. Azeez who inspired me to enter politics, and former MP M. Abdul Majeed who enabled me to become Chairman of the Pradeshiya Sabha.

¶ 06 Hon. Deputy Speaker, I wish to remember Pottuvil Central College where I had my primary education and Kalmunai Zahira College where I had my higher studies. Through experience gained in youth clubs and sports clubs, and with the blessings of the Party Leader, I have arrived in this Assembly with the goodwill of the people.

¶ 07 Hon. Deputy Speaker, this Parliament is a platform representing the people across the entire country. As a member of a minority community, I have entered this Assembly to advocate and secure the rights of all three communities.

¶ 08 Pottuvil, my constituency, shines with natural resources and culture, yet is marked by struggles for livelihood. Generational problems remain unresolved: rights to life, land, education, health, transport, employment, agriculture, and security require timely resolution by the State. The irrigation shortfall affecting agriculture, the main income of many villages, is a key issue. Although successive governments have attempted the Headh Oya (Heda Oya) Project, it has not been completed. Completing it would not only provide irrigation for our agriculture but also drinking water and electricity.

¶ 09 Hon. Deputy Speaker, our people face barriers to earning income through tourism because land ownership documents have not been issued. Granting those documents would allow them to improve their incomes.

¶ 10 Our area is home to all three communities, yet it has been divided into three education zones — Tamil, Muslim, and Sinhala — due to decisions of a previous government. We request the creation of a single, unified education zone.

¶ 11 Hon. Deputy Speaker, although our area’s bus depot has been upgraded, there is a grave lack of basic facilities and buses. I request that this august Assembly take action to resolve this.

¶ 12 Though our local hospital has been upgraded to a base hospital and brought under the central government, key staff — VPs, surgeons, and consultants — have not yet been appointed. As a result, for Arugam Bay, renowned for tourism, and for local residents, quality services are not provided. I request attention and completion of the base hospital’s facilities.

¶ 13 Further, the Pottuvil Divisional Secretariat lacks a Land Officer, stalling land administration work. During the war, lands were occupied; despite efforts to release them, this has not materialized to date. I request that the government take steps to release these lands. I also point out that upgrading the Pottuvil Pradeshiya Sabha to an Urban Council would enable better public services.

¶ 14 As an islander from a coastal village, I never imagined that my very first speech in Parliament would be about importing salt. It is deeply saddening that in a country surrounded by the sea we must speak of importing salt on my first day here. Thank you very much.