He was speaking at a ceremony to vest the new Out Patients Department (OPD) and the ward complex built at the Kalavanchikudi Base Hospital in Batticaloa, with the public yesterday (1st Feb.).

The President stated that all development activities in the Eastern Province should be completed within the next three years.

“Though some groups criticized the government using the democracy and the freedom in the country, we will fulfill the responsibility of building the country taking those criticisms as strength”, he said.

“The government is committed to strengthen the reconciliation in a way that the country is not divided. The initial activities in this regard will be completed within the next few months”, he stated.

The new OPD and the ward complex were built at a cost of Rs. 514 million with monetary contribution of the government of Sri Lanka and the JAICA.

President Sirisena presented felicitation awards to the officials, including the Eastern Province Health Minister A.L.M. Nazeer, who contributes to the development of the health field in the area.

Opposition Leader, R. Sampanthan, Health Minister, Rajitha Senarathna, Minister Daya Gamage, Deputy Ministers, Ameer Ali, Faisal Cassim, Governor of the Eastern Province, Austin Fernando, Chief Minister, Nazeer Ahamad, Eastern Provincial Council Minister,. Ariyawathi Galappaththi, and Ambassador Of Japan, Kenichi Suganuma also participated.