All set for LG polls

It’s only a few days to go for the LG elections and all parties are equally busy with political campaigns to grab power to prove their supremacy under the existing preferential voting system. Sunday Observer contacted some of the key figures contesting the LG polls in some councils to get their views.

It’s only a few days to go for the LG elections and all parties are equally busy with political campaigns to grab power to prove their supremacy under the existing preferential voting system. In certain parts of the country the political campaign has become very aggressive and there had been a number of violent incidents including two murders. Inter party conflicts and intra party conflicts are a common feature in the election process of preferential voting system.

All party leaders from the outset have agreed to conduct their respective election campaigns peacefully but most unfortunately they have not been successful in instructing their subordinates to follow suit.

However, with all these conflicts, attacks and counter attacks, the run up to the election campaign is coming to an end and Sunday Observer contacted some of the key figures contesting the LG polls in some councils to get their views.

A’wella UC - focus on development

by Jaliya WIJEYAKOON

Avissawella Urban Council, in the Western Province situated in the periphery of Colombo district has been under the UNP for the past 32 years. The former chairman and group leader on the UNP list Lal Pinto speaking to Sunday Observer stated that they didn’t have any problem with rival groups or among themselves and he was quite positive of a peaceful political atmosphere in Avissawella until the elections are over.

Lal Pinto (UNP) Chairman	U.A.H. Ubeysinghe (UPFA) Opposition Leader	E.A.T. Gunathilaka(JVP)

Question: UNP has been in power in your council for the past 32 years and the current term under your chairmanship. With the dawn of peace after the protracted conflict for over three decades and with the development activities which Avissawella area also has been benefitted, do you think that you will be able to secure victory for the party this time too?

Answer: We admit and appreciate the fact the President Rajapaksa has been instrumental in bringing peace to the country with the able support rendered by our valiant soldiers.

National Development activities have not directly benefitted the people in my area. People in my area have been badly affected by the very high cost of living and find it difficult to make both ends meet. A UNP victory at the Avissawella UC is a foregone conclusion and it is admitted even by my rival groups though they are in the fray for the sake of being in the fray.

Opposition leader of A’wella Urban Council U.A.H. Ubesinghe told Sunday Observer that they had carried out a large number of minor projects at Avissawella UC area with the support and guidance of Minister Dinesh Gunewardene and provided a substantial number of employment opportunities and hence their victory this time is very certain and he expects to be the next chairman.

When asked why he couldn’t win the Council for the past 32 years, he said that there are 3 estates that come under the Council and over 1000 Tamil registered voters.

They usually go by what Thondaman says and this is the very first time that Thondaman’as party is contesting with UPFA for LG polls. Last time we lost by only 143 votes.

This time with the support of the estate workers we will definitely win the council.

Sunday Observer also contacted the group leader of JVP E.A.T. Gunathilaka contesting Avissawella Urban Council and he is confident that people of Avissawella will not fall prey to false promises given by both major parties.

He said that his group has managed to convince voters at A’wella to go for a drastic change in the Local Government administration in order to set up a clean, fair and a corrupt-free council.

Boralesgamuwa - continuing development

by Shirajiv SIRIMANE

A keen contest is expected for the Boralesgamuwa Local government elections with over a 60 percent of voter turn-out.

Sri Lal Sigera(UPFA)	Lasantha Senaratne (unp)

Sri Lal Sigera who is vying for the post of Chairman of the Boralesgamuwa Urban Council from the UPFA says that this year too the ruling party would secure a majority. “We have a good track record during the past four years and promises that were made have been fulfilled,” he said. He said that a broad development plan has been initiated for the area and they are hoping to have Employment banks, Chairman’s Fund and even mobile camps to provide solutions for people’s problems in the area. “One of our priorities would be to have a weekend market for the area which is an urgent requirement right now,” he said.

He said that today people can move about freely due to the dawn of peace and they will capitalize on this to develop the area.

Meanwhile Lasantha Senaratne representing the UNP says that people are looking for a change of government and they would use this election to give this message. “We expect an over 60 percent voter turn-out due to this,” he said.

He said that for several years no solution had been found for the flooding situation in some areas and one of their priorities after being elected would be to bring about a permanent solution for this.

He also said that he is a seasoned entrepreneur and would work with the business community to offer more employment opportunity to youth and also launch several self-employment projects.

“We are also looking at introducing a novel and efficient system to avoid delays in approving building plans and also clear such unwanted red tape.”

The JVP contesting the Boralesgamuwa local government elections are of the opinion that both the UNP and the UPFA do not have a good track record and people would vote for a new face.

“This is why we are confident that we could make a huge impact at this elections,” he said. He said that unlike other political parties they do not have in-fighting and do not canvas for individuals but work as a team to bring about victory to the JVP.

Kalutara UC - to win economic war

by Ananda KANNANGARA

UPFA candidate Palitha Alwis who is contesting the Kalutara Urban Council was confident over the Government’s victory at the forthcoming Local Government Election and said that majority of the people in his area will vote for the Government taking into consideration the fact that the Government brought to an end the 30-year-old conflict.

UPFA candidate Palitha Alwis

UPFA candidate Manoj Sanjaya Hettige

UPFA candidate Pradeep Karunamuni

UNP candidate Mahesh Kotalawala

UNP candidate Gamini S. Kaviratna

UNP candidate Wasantha Dias

JVP candidate R.L.L. Chandani

JVP candidate Chaminda Ubesekara

“Now we are a free nation and our next aim is to win the economic war,” he said.

He said winning the economic war was not an easy task. To fulfil this obligation we must rally round President Mahinda Rajapaksa and strengthen his hands.

He said after winning the forthcoming election, he will start many development programs including constructing houses for the under-privileged.

An old boy of Kalutara Tissa Vidyalaya, Alwis said sports activities in rural schools will also be developed.

He also has plans to develop the tourism industry in the Kalutara districts and provide jobs to unemployed youth.

Former UPFA Chairman of the Bandaragama Pradeshiya Sabha Manoj Sanjaya Hettige expressed his views about various development activities which were carried out during the past four years and said that people in his area value the garbage recycling program, which commenced in Bandaragama during that time.

He said in addition he would assist people to start agricultural programs including the cultivation of coconut and rubber to a greater extent.

Former UPFA member for Kalutara Urban Council Pradeep Karunamuni is confident over his party’s victory at the forthcoming election and said that during his tenure he offered scholarships to children in the area and also started a dengue eradication program.

He said after winning the election he would construct a tourism village near the Kalutara coastal belt.

He expressed the desire to repair all by-roads and begin concreting them and also develop pre-school education by constructing children’s parks.

UNP candidate, young Mahesh Kotalawala who will contest under the elephant symbol for the Bandaragama Pradeshiya Sabha said that no one has taken any steps to develop the agricultural sector in the Bandaragama Pradeshiya Sabha and that the Bandaragama area is rich in natural resources and wished to start large-scale agricultural projects by using uncultivated lands with the consent of the owners. Former Kalutara Urban Council member Wasantha Dias is confident that the UNP will be victorious at the Pradeshiya Sabha Election and said that after winning the election he would start a special garbage collection and recycling program in the district.

He said in addition all by-roads which are in a dilapidated condition will be concreted and the roads will be lit by erecting lamp posts.

He said he has plans to develop the tourism sector in the district by constructing hotels in the Kalutara coastal area with the assistance of foreign and local investors.

Former Kalutara Pradeshiya Sabha member Gamini S Kaviratna was confident that the UNP will win at the March 17 election and said that the Government will definitely increase the prices of commodity items and therefore people must be vigilant over false promises commonly made by opponents.

He said after winning the election he has plans to construct two crematoriums, a shopping complex and three playgrounds.

He said he will also concrete all by-roads and plant valuable trees to protect the environment.

A montessori teacher by profession and prominent JVP activist Mrs. R.L.L Chandani who is contesting the Pradeshiya Sabha Election under the bell symbol said her intention was to commence many economy development programs in the area.

She said people are suffering from untold hardship due to the high cost of living and the unemployment problem.She also said she will start agricultural projects in the Bandaragama area by using uncultivated lands.

She said present day politicians make various false promises and urge them not to deceive voters by making false promises.

Young Chaminda Ubesekara who is the JVP candidate for the Kalutara Urban Council too said that present day politicians make various false promises and win elections, but no one fulfils these promises made during the election period, once they come into power.

“After winning the election I will develop not only the plantation sector but also the fisheries sector”.

He said that tourism industry in the Kalutara district could be developed and will provide large direct and indirect employment opportunities to many.

Tissamaharama - keen tussle

A keen tussle is on the cards for the Tissamaharama Local Government elections where all three political parties UPFA, UNP and JVP are seen battling it out for supremacy.

The JVP which was controlling the Pradeshiya Sabha is once again confident of regaining power. “We have proved to the public that we did a good job when we were in power and we are asking the voters to show their solidarity with us once again,” said a member of the JVP who is contesting the elections.

He said that they have set trends and hope to continue their good work if they get power once again.

Meanwhile, UPFA candidates who are contesting the elections say that they are seeking a mandate to take the Mahinda Chintana program to the grass roots. “The Hambantota district is going through a development unprecedented in the history of the country. A new port, airport, conference hall, star hotels, international stadiums, Administrative buildings, modern hospitals and electricity which were all dreams have now been made into reality,” said the Group leader of the UPFA, in Tissa, Sunil Gunasekera.

“The Mahinda Chintana has more to offer and this is why we want to be elected to the Tissa Pradeshiya Sabha and take development to the grass roots level,” he added.

The UNP says that the on going leadership battle has no impact on the elections as they are contesting the election as one common group and under the leadership of Sajith Premadasa.

Ms. Sujeeva Samarasinghe representing the UNP, said that people are calling for change and the UNP is the solution for this. “Our aim is to develop the village and our team is talented and loved by people,” he said.

She said that she was a member of the UNP Youth movement since she was 18 years and is also coordinating the Ruhunu Magampura Diriya Women’s Movement bringing numerous benefits to the public.

LG polls campaign in North peaceful

by P. Krishnaswamy

With polls to 11 local government bodies in the Northern province, and 214 bodies in other parts of the country, four days away, election authorities in the province and independent election monitors told the Sunday Observer that all election-related activities were being conducted peacefully and the number of incidents contravening elections laws is relatively very low.

In keeping with the UPFA Government’s commitment to restore democracy in the war-torn province to facilitate implementation of broader and far-reaching development programs, elections to all 31 local government bodies in the districts of Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Mannar and Vavuniya were due to be held on March 17. However elections will be held only in five bodies in Mannar, four in Vavuniya due to the rejection of nominations by the Elections Commissioner on technical grounds and the legal procedures now pending in the Court. Elections to two local government bodies in the Mullaitivu district, out of the four, were postponed due to non-completion of the demining process and non-resettlement of some of the displaced families.

Elections to the other local government bodies in the Northern province will be held after the legal snags are overcome in the four districts apart from the two Councils in the Mullaitivu district for which elections will be held after the completion of the demining process is completed.

Assistant Commissioner of Elections for Vavuniya and Kilinochchi, A.S. Karunanidhi said that there would be no cluster polling centres since, according to their department, none of the families enumerated in the Voters’ Registers for the polling areas where the polls are to be conducted is either in transit camps or welfare centres. For the same reason transport too will not be provided, he said, adding that they hope to conduct the polls peacefully due to the prevailing ground situation.

Rohana Hettiarachchi, Executive Director of the People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL), one of the many election monitoring organisations, said that since elections to these local government bodies are being held after 15 years they are holding 45 pocket meetings and over 50 street meetings to educate the people on how to exercise their franchise and the need for doing so. He too confirmed that the ground situation is peaceful.