'Puppet Mayor' ran through the back door - Vasu

Opposition Leader of the Colombo Municipal Council Vasudeva Nanayakkara warned the public that the services of the CMC would breakdown if the Mayor continues to disrupt appointing members to the Finance Committee on the instructions of the UNP. In an interview with the Sunday Observer staffer Jayantha Sri Nissanka, he said the UNP was trying to jeopardise the work of the CMC expecting the Government to hold another election.

Q: People in the Colombo City wanted you to be the Opposition leader. The unruly incidents occurred from your benches at the inaugural meeting?

A: At present, the CMC is incapable of functioning with the Mayor. We offered every support to the Mayor notwithstanding his inexperience. We thought it is a good thing that somebody like him should be the Mayor which could have been an example to a flowering democracy in Sri Lanka. We thought that he will gradually gather experience and perform to the expectation of Colombo people. We did not want to jeopardise his plan for Colombo and offered him every support to function as the Mayor. I went to see him before the inaugural meeting and he requested me to co-operate with him and treat him like a son, which I assured. But Sham Navaz who is one of the Mayor's officials asked whether the inaugural meeting can be restricted to greetings and formal speeches. He wanted to know whether the election of members to the Committee could be postponed. I said that I have to consult the UPFA group. Later the group rejected the request.

Q: Why did you not strike a deal with them. If so, you could have got more members to that vital Committees?

A: Yes, we wanted to arrive at an agreement with the governing party regarding the composition of Committees. We can claim the majority as we have 30 members where as the Independent group has only 23 members. I proposed that we must try to reach an agreement and then the UPFA Group accepted. We prepared the names for Committees and allocated 25 positions for the 'Spectacle' Group in different Committees. Some Committees we left entirely for the Spectacle members alone including the Chairmanships. When I met the Mayor on June 27, I told him that a postponement of appointing members to the Committees was not possible and insisted that the Opposition wanted to finalise appointing members to the Committees. Actually the Mayor never spoke a word about a postponement of Committees, but only Sham Navaz who is not even a member of the CMC spoke. On the inaugural day, the Mayor just chaired. Others really intervened on his behalf. We greeted him and he greeted us and then few others spoke.

Q: Was it mandatory to appoint Committees on the first day of the Council?

A: Yes. It is not legally possible to postpone and according to Section 26 (1) of the Standing Orders. At least the Finance Committee and another Committees should be formed on the first day. So, I proposed to select members to the Committees. By this time the leader of the 'Spectacle' group Rajendran also agreed with us and wanted same. Then we even proposed Rajendran's name in our slot to the Finance Committee. The Mayor then suspended sittings for 15 minutes and we remained in the Council. He returned later and we drew his attention again on the provision and agenda of the day and called our names to proceed with the appointment of members to Committees which had to be done by ballot. Then he asked whether there were speeches. Thereafter, suddenly he adjourned the House and ran from the back door which led to a chaos in the Council. It is illegal for him to adjourn the meeting without a resolution of the Council and having not completed the agenda. Even 'Spectacle' men were with us demanding the resumption of the session. It was a unanimous request. The Mayor is entitled to adjourn the Council in an uncontrollable situation only, but there was no such situation. The chaos began thereafter.

Q: Do you think that there was some manoeuvring to prevent the Mayor from appointing members to the Finance Committee?

A: I am sure he was advised not to take up the matter of appointing members to the Committees. It is obvious he can't decide on his own. He has been influenced by people who are operating from outside. He did not consult even the Commissioner or Secretary to appoint Committees before running away. Then all of us unanimously decided to proceed. Then the Deputy Mayor took the Chair and wanted the Commissioner to return to the Council but he refused to return saying whether right or wrong he has to go with the Mayor's decision. The Deputy Mayor wanted to consult lawyers. Even the Secretary was trying to withdraw from the Chamber and our members tried to prevent her from withdrawing. Then at this point two of our members clashed.

Q: Do you think this is also a plot?

A: Possible, because they attacked each other over the question whether the Secretary should be allowed to move out of the Chamber or not. In the melee the Secretary and the staff withdrew making it impossible to conduct the affairs.

Q: Who is the member who wanted the Secretary to withdraw from the chamber?

A: Ramsy Tony wanted the Secretary to be in the Council and Ajantha Liyanage wanted her to withdraw if she wished. That argument led to blows.

Q: Will you take disciplinary action against Ajantha Liyanage?

A: Already a letter was posted to the Secretary of the SLFP to deal with the conduct of two members.

Q: Will the Mayor postpone the appointing of members to the Committees when the Council resumes after 14 days and what are the legal consequences if so?

A: I have reported this matter to the Chief Minister and the Provincial Council who have a right to oversee and supervise local government bodies stating that there were violation of standing orders, agenda and procedure of conducting meetings and to take action against the Mayor. Also I insisted to take action against the Commissioner and Secretary who connived in this unwarranted situation. I further sent a letter to the Provincial Council and Local Government Minister too. The Mayor should be charge sheeted by the Provincial Council. If he is found guilty he can be removed from office. When the Mayor is incapable of conducting affairs and becomes a puppet in the hands of outsiders, an amendment could be brought to the Local Government Ordinance to remove him empowering members to elect a new Mayor. In the meantime, the Provincial Council can conduct an inquiry and if found guilty, he can be removed. Again the party which hold the highest number of members can nominate a Mayor.

Q: People did not expect this kind of political tug of war at the CMC. What is the fate of Colombo City if this continues?

A: Colombo city is held to ransom by the UNP for their obstinate inclination to creep as councillors in spite of being disqualified. Their plan is to get the Government to hold another election by creating chaos.

Q: What are the options left with the Government to defuse the crisis at the CMC?

A: There is a provision to carry out the affairs of the CMC under a special Commissioner or order a fresh election or order a holding of an election for limited number of members those who have resigned. But we will not agree to have a special Commissioner to run the Council immediately after an election. That should happen at the tail end of the Council. Then the democratic rights of people are totally denied. Therefore, we expect an amendment where the democratic principle will be further strengthened by empowering members to elect their own Mayor in a situation like this. On the other hand we expect the inquiry against this Mayor paving the way for us to have another Mayor who can carry out duties.

Q: The Commissioner is accused of supporting the UNP. What action is the Council going to take against him?

A: I am accusing him for conniving with the UNP and work towards the interests of the puppet Mayor. I have asked the Provincial Council to investigate the conduct of the Commissioner and the Secretary.

Q: When the Finance Committee is not in place, how can the functions of the City proceed?

A: Today it continues on funds allocated in the last year's budget till November. There will not be any problem until November. There is no democratic leadership to the Council today. But to sanction expenditure over Rs.100,000, it requires Financial Committee approval. So there will be a total breakdown of the city affairs if this continues.

Q: As the Opposition leader how will you handle this situation in the best interest of the public?

A: I want the Provincial Council and the Minister to take immediate action. The Commissioner and the Secretary should be changed. Then we might be able to run the Council with the Mayor. If he is incapable then the Deputy Mayor can run the council.

Q: What is the evidence you have against these two officials for conniving with the UNP and who has the authority to remove them?

A: The Provincial Council and the President have the authority to remove them. Two officials confirmed to me by letters that even a wrong order of the Mayor is binding on them. That is why they refuse to come back to the Council Chamber when we were getting the Deputy Mayor to proceed.Q: People did not expect this kind of political tug of war at the CMC. What is the fate of Colombo City if this continues?

A: Colombo city is held to ransom by the UNP for their obstinate inclination to creep as councillors in spite of being disqualified. Their plan is to get the Government to hold another election by creating chaos.

Q: What are the options left with the Government to defuse the crisis at the CMC?

A: There is a provision to carry out the affairs of the CMC under a special Commissioner or order a fresh election or order a holding of an election for limited number of members those who have resigned. But we will not agree to have a special Commissioner to run the Council immediately after an election. That should happen at the tail end of the Council. Then the democratic rights of people are totally denied. Therefore, we expect an amendment where the democratic principle will be further strengthened by empowering members to elect their own Mayor in a situation like this. On the other hand we expect the inquiry against this Mayor paving the way for us to have another Mayor who can carry out duties.

Q: The Commissioner is accused of supporting the UNP. What action is the Council going to take against him?

A: I am accusing him for conniving with the UNP and work towards the interests of the puppet Mayor. I have asked the Provincial Council to investigate the conduct of the Commissioner and the Secretary.

Q: When the Finance Committee is not in place, how can the functions of the City proceed?

A: Today it continues on funds allocated in the last year's budget till November. There will not be any problem until November. There is no democratic leadership to the Council today. But to sanction expenditure over Rs.100,000, it requires Financial Committee approval. So there will be a total breakdown of the city affairs if this continues.

Q: As the Opposition leader how will you handle this situation in the best interest of the public?

A: I want the Provincial Council and the Minister to take immediate action. The Commissioner and the Secretary should be changed. Then we might be able to run the Council with the Mayor. If he is incapable then the Deputy Mayor can run the council.

Q: What is the evidence you have against these two officials for conniving with the UNP and who has the authority to remove them?

A: The Provincial Council and the President have the authority to remove them. Two officials confirmed to me by letters that even a wrong order of the Mayor is binding on them. That is why they refuse to come back to the Council Chamber when we were getting the Deputy Mayor to proceed.