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Volkswagen vis a vis the smallpox vaccine then...

(Lanka-e-News -03.Jan.2017, 8.45PM) One of the promises made by  Prime Minister (P.M.)  Ranil Wickremesinghe after the good governance government was installed in power was honored the launching of the world famous Volkswagen vehicle (assembling)   Co. at Mahanugawatte , Labuyaya , Kuliyapitiya  , Kurunegala district  for which    the foundation stone was laid on the  3 rd .

The president and the P.M. headed  the ceremonial launching.. 

This venture under the name of Western Automobile Assembly Pvt. Ltd., is being launched by two companies , the Volkswagen Co . in collaboration with  Senok Co. of Sri Lanka . A sum of US dollars  26.5 million is the initial investment .  A training Institute will  also be commenced at this venue simultaneously with the inauguration of the  factory to provide quick  training . The trainees after the completion of training will be absorbed by the Volkswagen factory. 3000 direct job opportunities , and 10,000 indirect  job opportunities are expected to be generated through this venture. 

This is the first time an  European vehicle assembling Co . is being launched  in Sri Lanka . 1000 c.c ; 2000 c.c  passenger vehicles ; vehicles meant for sports ;multi purpose vehicles and commercial vehicles are to be produced at this factory , reports say .

Though investment and technology are foreign , undoubtedly it marked the opening of  a new chapter in the history of SL on the 3 rd.

In fact , European Companies   with assembling factories arrived in Asia about 20 to 25 years ago. Unfortunately at that time , Prabhakaran  was bombing planes in the north of SL ,and Central bank in Colombo too was bombed  .In the South too , Wijeweera was setting fire to factories , newspaper Institutions and even killing the newspaper vendors ; and causing transformer explosions. Consequently , foreign investors who saw SL going up in smoke  started turning in the direction of India and Malaysia for their investments.  Thereafter , the Medamulana Rajapakses who became a byword for corruption, murder and criminalities  took over the reign . That was the infamous era of extortion ranging from 30 to 40 % .  The genuine foreign investors of course did not come in when such high extortion sums were demanded from them . Only racketeers and wheeler dealers started coming in to plunder the country jointly with the Rajapakses and their cronies.

It is significant to note , it is  after the moribund , murderous , corrupt Medamulana Rajapakses who were robbing the country wholesale while  parading as great ‘patriots’ and criticizing the international community were thrown out lock , stock and barrel by the pro good governance masses on 8 th January 2015 , the avenues opened for colossal foreign investments. This welcome change is the outcome of the welcome change of government. 

During a period when there is no war , if  sabotage activities like bogus strikes and  protests  are halted ;   the corrupt are duly punished ; robbing public funds is stopped ; sovereignty of the rule of law  is recognized ; laws are  enforced duly against all equally ; and  the rulers discharge their tasks duly with commitment to carry on good governance , without doubt  other foreign investors too will be attracted .

In a country where natural disasters are less  and every day of the year sun is shining, where  intelligent youths are showing a flair for the English language ,  and the country is   free from dangerous epidemics , the foreign investors naturally show an anxiety to invest .

For a small Island like Sri Lanka which is lacking in latest technological knowledge and the financial resources , the only avenue open  for its progress and advancement  is bringing in foreign technology and investment . But that does not happen spontaneously . We  have to make certain sacrifices mainly in relation to  lands , tax reliefs and  energy subsidy .By creating awareness among the public in this regard , the opposition , if any that is mounted can be minimized, otherwise the uneducated   sections of society  of SL will as usual resist such new measures. The best illustration is , during the British rule when the small pox vaccine was to be administered to  all  the SL citizens , the uneducated citizens raised objections to that decision. 

Then  and  even  thereafter  , morons cast in the mould of  uneducated Weerawansa  were creating trouble and trauma in the country . They aroused the people saying  , ‘the Suddha  (Britishers) are trying to fool us. Don’t leave room for that’ citing the reason that an indelible  scar remains  after the vaccination .The ignorant Sri Lankans fled into the jungles. Finally they died after contracting the disease.

In fact a  new page of that foolhardiness is on display now   in  Hambantota area. 

In the circumstances , it is incumbent on the rulers and  their  inescapable  duty to educate the public duly on whatever new that are being introduced which are a boon to the country. 

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by     (2017-01-03 15:20:20)

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  2 discussion on this news

Lying E news ! Its not a volkswagen plant
-- by Factcheck on 2017-01-04

Good news.thank you Germany and Angela Merkal
-- by Nimal on 2017-01-04

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