I erred in selecting some people to top posts: President

I erred in selecting some people to top posts: President Dec 22, 2009
President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday said he had made ‘some mistakes’ in selecting people to his administration when he was elected to office and expressed sadness over the conduct of some officials whom he described as those who had fallen prey to material gain. The President did not name about whom he was talking about, but went on to express his regret about the situation. “I have made a few mistakes in my selection as well. Some people whom I thought were patriotic, have subsequently betrayed our beloved motherland for personal and material gain, and I am sad about that situation,” the President said addressing a ceremony held to mark the induction of the new President of the Organisation of Professional Associations of Sri Lanka at the BMICH yesterday. The President also said by and large, the vast majority of his administration staff members had displayed a great love for the country. “I made sound judgments in selecting people to serve in my administration. That is why we were successful. We had the right people for every job, depending on the circumstances,” he said. Charging that opposition parties were trying to block IMF loan facility and the GSP+ concession of the EU, the President assured all local export industries that his Government would safeguard their industries with necessary measures to support them, in the event of a carefully managed, strategic withdrawal of this scheme, being introduced by the relevant authorities. Courtesy: Daily Mirror