Douglas: We are working hard to resolve burning issues of Tamil people

COLOMBO: People centric politics should be encouraged and enhanced rather than working on ethnic lines, Fisheries Minister Douglas Devananda said.

He was addressing a group of social activists in Jaffna recently.

The minister said that ethnic politics are of no use for the ordinary people and the Tamil community must get their problems resolved by using available opportunities.

Those who say they are representing the Tamils are distancing them from sustainable solutions to their issues, he said.

“Those political groups have been using the issues of the Tamils for achieving their political agendas,” the Minister said.

“During the recent parliamentary elections, I appealed to the people to work on having three to four seats to bargain with the Government to resolve the people’s issues.

“But they sent only two members indicating that they have no interest in resolving those issues reasonably.

“We, thereafter, held several discussions with other Tamil political parties. Gagendrakumar Ponnambalam’s party left the discussions claiming that his party has decided to work separately. Now these political parties want to be the saviors of the Tamils.

“We are, meanwhile, working hard to resolve the burning issues of the Tamil People, without boasting,” the minister said.