Stench emanating from Beira and CMC same

Sunday Observations: The Political Column

There appears to be no difference in the stench emanating from the Beira Lake and the Colombo Municipal Council. The Beira Lake is polluted these days with dead fish floating with no one to clean. The responsibility of cleaning this lake that adds attraction to the picturesque city is entrusted to the CMC. The CMC is no better.

UNP politick's are running the CMC from outside with Imitiyaz Uvais, a puppet like Mayor. There's no administration in the CMC. Opposition Leader, Vasudeva Nanayakkara is a worried man.

The question before the Council is to find out what the Mayor is doing. In the CMC, this Mayor has a man called Sham Nawaz as his spokesman. Nawaz is the man who runs the administration. From outside who directs the Mayor?

A UNP politico who is no better than the Mayor. Then who is the man between this politico and the Mayor? He is Sirisena Cooray. This sad scenario is not a tragedy that has befallen the CMC. Such a fate has befallen because of power hungry corrupt men in the UNP who do not want to lose control of the CMC.

As the Governor of the Western Province, Alavi Mowlana quite correctly summed up, these corrupt men are at play at the expense of the poor rate payers in the city.

The three wheeler driver turned Mayor has expressed fear to go overseas for official functions. As the City Father he has to address such meetings. Sirisena Cooray has opted to accompany him. Last week, a plan was unearthed.

The Mayor is due to visit USA on an official assignment. Cooray has been told to accompany him. On the date of the function, the Mayor is to fall sick. Then Cooray will read out an address on behalf of the Mayor. A brainless UNP politico from Colombo has set the plan in motion for Cooray to play the dual role of "Tour Guide" and "Spokesman".

Senior UNPers are perturbed over these ugly developments and question why the UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe is silent over the activities of these UNPers on the CMC. Rajitha Senaratne told the UNP Working Committee at the last meeting that the CMC Mayor was sure to get lost in the USA as the man got lost in his own country many a time after being appointed to the new office.

Wickremesinghe too roared into laughter over this comment at that meeting. Within the CMC, Sham Nawaz is known as the 'spokesman' for the Mayor. Cooray is known as the 'Guide' of the Mayor. But, unlike Nawaz, Cooray is not allowed to step into the CMC. His business is to 'guide' the Mayor from outside.

The UNP politico has all three strings in his hand. One is tied to the Mayor, the second to Nawaz and the third on Cooray. The CMC has been forced to watch this 'puppet dance' with no activity to benefit the ratepayer. Governor, Mowlana who lost his cool last week warned that stern action would be taken shortly against the CMC administration which was a 'joke' before the public eye.

The Mayor and his Deputy are at loggerheads. None of the important committees is in place. Mowlana correctly warned that he would recommend to the President to run the CMC under a Special Commissioner as it happened before the recent local government polls.

A decision to dissolve the CMC administration is welcomed by even the senior UNPers who are not keen of another election to the CMC in the near future. They too, back Mowlana's idea to appoint a Special Commissioner for the remaining period. The government must give serious thought to the proposal by the WPC Governor, Mowlana. The problems in the city aggravate day by day.

There is none in the ruling party of the CMC to hear the grievances of the ratepayers. Can an ignorant UNP politico be allowed to hold the city and its ratepayers to ransom? Earlier, we had politicians like Premadasa, Pieter Keuneman, A. H. M. Fowzie, Haleem Ishak, Jabir A. Cader, V. A. Sugathadasa, Vincent Perera and M. H. Mohamed from the heart of the city who contributed to uplift the conditions in the CMC. They were experienced and intelligent political figures in the city.

The Beira Lake also runs by the side of the Presidential Secretariat. The President has moved to his official residence in the city. There are many VVIPs who visit the Head of State. Therefore, it is mandatory upon the CMC to keep the city clean. Unfortunately, today we see a city where garbage piles up, mosquito breeding pot holes, the Beira lake with thousands of dead fish floating with an unbearable stench emanating and streets with no proper lighting in the night at a time there were security threats on many.

Is the CMC deliberately acting in this manner to ridicule the government? It is a known fact that the puppet administration of the CMC is operated by an ignorant UNP politico. How long can the government tolerate this nonsense. Colombo is the most important city in the country. Early and swift action by the government will help to run an efficient administration in the city with the ratepayer already disgusted with the antics of a section of the 'Spectacle" group run by this ignorant and arrogant UNP politico.

Be that as it may,Ranil Wickremesinghe who returned from New Delhi after a week-long official visit, was faced with many problems in the party. Partymen demand reforms in entirety and not in parts. They are unhappy over the setting up of committees to play for time.

UNP Chairman, Malik Samarawickreme who said he would resign immediately after the defeat at the last Presidential election,is yet to make up his mind. But, senior UNPers are pressing for a new chairman to replace Malik. Wickremesinghe is under tremendous pressure in this regard. Prior to his departure to New Delhi, moves were afoot to have Rukman Senanayake as the next party chairman.

Rukman is ably backed by Ranil, Karu and several seniors. S. B. Dissanayake is reported to have objected to this move. But, there is a strong possibility that Rukman may succeed Malik when the party Working Committee meets next. The re-entry of Rukman from the Senanayake stronghold in Dedigama is welcome by many in the party recalling the service rendered to the UNP and the country by the Senanayakes.

In another development, many are vying for the post of general secretary as Weragoda is due to quit. Among the contenders are Tissa Attanayake, Hemakumara Nanayakkara, Gamini Jayawickrema Perera, Ravi Karunanayake, Rajitha Senaratne, Dharmadasa Banda and Gamini Lokuge. The senior contenders are Perera and Banda.

Attanayake does not have the full backing of the majority and was even replaced in the district by Lakshman Kiriella in Kandy. Kiriella, a moderate politician is liked by the UNP hierarchy and all others. He has never been ambitious and has not demanded positions. In the final run up to the post of general secretary, partymen believe that Hemakumara could oust Attanayake as others tend to support Hemakumara.

While these developments were on, Ranil's confidante, Milinda Moragoda in a letter criticised the conduct of those in the Political Affairs Committee and tendered his resignation from the committee. Despite being a member, he is reported to have absented himself from meetings.

Therefore, those in the committee claim that Moragoda's criticism was unfair. Moragoda also argued about the validity of such a committee under the UNP constitution. However, Wickremesinghe accepted Moragoda's resignation from the committee.

It is likely that this vacancy would be filled by Lakshman Kiriella. In the coming week, the actions of Ranil Wickremesinghe will be interesting to watch as he has to execute many things before the next annual session of the UNP.