"Father's kidney operation and mother's by-pass surgery was done when I was small and there were few facilities then" -- emotional comments by Harin at Uva Suwaseriya meeting

"Father's kidney operation and mother's by-pass surgery was done when I was small and there were few facilities then" -- emotional comments by Harin at Uva Suwaseriya meeting

Programme to introduce Suwaseriya ambulance service to Uva province took place at Hali Ela recently. Minister Harin Fernando made an emotional speech on that occasion, bringing out memories of his childhood. That speech which motivated those dependent on sick people and difficulties encountered by their close relatives to think twice is as follows:

"What I now say is what I saw at home from the time I was about twelve years old as a small child. What I am trying to emphasise by this is that when one gets sick, people become helpless without any

difference ... all in the same way.

I was able to see how my parents faced sickness from those days itself. My father was subjected to a kidney transplant. Even from the time I was small, my mother too had faced a by-pass surgery. So not only of patients like this in my area, but I strongly feel the situation of members of their families. Likewise, as a person who had to live in such a background of someone from Uva, what I tell the public is that if patients suffering from non-transmitted diseases like diabetes and heart trouble by bringing them under control with medical advice; any linked ailments could to a large extent be avoided. 

In the same way, because of this ambulance service offering an emergency service, you and we could obtain the facility of living at least one day with the public who love us. Countless number of people of Uva would be able to reap that benefit. But this welfare benevolent service we bring forth is being looked at from a political angle by some people, I felt when I noticed comments at the time I viewed this festival live across the internet a short while before this. Some people had asked whether this was really big. Another set of people had queried whether this service is afforded only to United National Party supporters. 

I felt hurt because of such comments. That is why I say that this is a noble thing than anything else or in other words that this is a grant of invaluable life. So I ask them not to look at this noble duty which was recently passed as an act in parliament without any opposition or debate from the opposition party, in a squint-eyed manner.