Confidence in Opposition erodes:

LG victory endorses President's vision - Minister Wimal Weerawansa

by Uditha KUMARASINGHE

Construction and Engineering Services Housing and Common Amenities Minister Wimal Weerawansa said the outcome of the Local Government elections clearly demonstrates that people have fully endorsed the vision of President Mahinda Rajapaksa to take forward the country.

The Minister in an interview with the Sunday Observer said the people during this election have fully realised that development can only take place in their villages if they make joint efforts with the UPFA to build the Local Government institutions in their areas.

The Minister said the Opposition has no acceptable reason to prove this Local Government election was not conducted in a free and fair manner. But after the defeat of every election, they say so to cover up their defeat.

At present the Opposition has not been able to find out any effective slogan against the Government. This election result also clearly shows the severe setback faced by the JVP today.

Q: How do you view the resounding victory achieved by the Government at the Local Government Election?

A: This election result clearly indicates the people have fully endorsed President Mahinda Rajapaksa's vision and the program.

It demonstrates the victory achieved by the UPFA in all sections. The Opposition forces have been further eroded from their existing positions at the election. After peace dawned this was the first Local Government election held in the country.

Therefore the election result clearly demonstrates the full endorsement made by the people on peace dividends and the program initiated by the Government to achieve economic prosperity.

Q: The Opposition alleges that the Government deliberately postponed the elections in some Local Government institutions owing to the fear of losing them. What is the actual reason for postponing the elections in some Local Government bodies?

A: This is a baseless allegation levelled by the Opposition. The Opposition say the elections in some municipal councils and urban councils have been postponed as they were not advantageous to the Government.

If we imagine the elections for these Local Government bodies will be held in June or July, that means the polls are going to be conducted for some Local Government institutions which are disadvantages to the Government.

If the Government cannot win the elections of these Local Government institutions in March, how can it win them in June or July? Therefore, there is no acceptable reason behind this point highlighted by the Opposition.

The elections in some Municipal and Urban council areas were postponed due to the impact it would have on World Cup cricket matches. This is a policy decision taken by the Government.

But the Opposition attempts to give a wrong impression on the postponement of elections in some Local Government areas. If the elections for all these Local Government bodies were held on a single day, it would have been more advantageous to the Government. This is the real truth.

Q: The Opposition complains the election was not conducted in a free and fair manner and they were defeated as a result of it. How do you view this complaint made by the Opposition?

A: The Opposition has no acceptable reason to prove this election was not free and fair.

Because no major clashes were reported among the candidates of different political parties. Most of the time, some clashes were reported among the candidates of the same political party.

Even during the day of the election it was also conducted in a peaceful manner. No major incidents were reported. Therefore it is very evident this is a free and fair election. After the defeat at elections, the Opposition should say some thing to cover up their defeat. This is what the Opposition does after a defeating at elections.

After the humiliating defeat faced by the Opposition at the last Presidential Election, they described it as a "computer jilmart".

Those who said so don't speak even about it and remain silent today.

The common candidate introduced by the Opposition at last Presidential Election is in jail today. Therefore, this has turned into the common complaint made by the Opposition after being defeated at every election.

Q: The Opposition during its election campaign attempted to highlight the issue of cost of living and urged the people to cast their vote for them to teach a lesson to the Government. According to you, could the Opposition pose any challenge to the Government at the Local Government election campaign?

A: Not at all. They could not pose any kind of challenge to the Government. At the Local Government election campaign, the UNP had divided into three camps as Ranil, Sajith and Karu. These three camps separately engaged in their election campaign.

Each camp attempted to show that, it was the most powerful camp. Because they think when they act like that, spontaneous enthusiasm will be created among UNPers to cast their vote. It is very clear such enthusiasm was not created among their partymen.

At present all these three camps are similar to the UNPers at village level. Therefore, they do not look at the UNP and they have also some satisfaction on the future program of the Government. As a result, Ranil, Sajith or Karu has not been able to create any hope among their partymen.

Q: The JVP launched their Local Government election campaign under the theme of "let's put an end to cheating" (Rewatillata nimawak). Was this campaign able to make any impact or challenge to the Government's election campaign?

A: No. Actually this is what has happened to the JVP today. This Local Government election has put an end to the attempts made by the JVP to politically cheat and mislead the people based on their wrong political decisions.

If we consider the number of JVP members elected to the Local Government bodies in the past, this election result clearly shows the severe set back faced by the JVP today. Earlier there were 39 JVP MPs in Parliament. But it was reduced to three MPs at the 2010 General Elections.

When compared to the past, there is a rapid decrease of the number of JVP members elected to the Local Government institutions at present. Today the JVP has faced a severe setback in all fronts. Therefore, the theme selected by the JVP during the Local Government election campaign is very ideal for them according to the present plight faced by them.

Q: According to you why wasn't the Opposition able to implement a successful election campaign?

A: Because the Opposition does not have anything to say against the Government. Except talking about the prices of goods or Senior Ministers, what the Opposition has to say against the Government? It has been difficult for them to find out any effective slogan against the Government.

Because they are not in a position to say slogans like " Let's defeat this Government which attempts to divide the country and sell the country or let's defeat this Government which curtails the relief measures of the people and curb trade unions". They are also not in a position to tell the people "Let's defeat this Government which does not give a fair price for paddy".

When an Opposition is turned into such degraded level, whatever false propaganda campaign is launched, it is very difficult for them to recover from their position.

Q: Can you be satisfied on the number candidates given to the National Freedom Front in the UPFA nomination lists? Did your party give prominence to youths and female candidates?

A: Of course. Of our total number of candidates, most of them were youths. There were some female candidates in our nomination lists as well. So we are very satisfied on the opportunity provided by the UPFA to our candidates.

Q: What was the reason to reject a large number of nomination lists of all political parties during this Local Government Election? Has the UPFA examined the situation of rejecting its nomination lists?

A: We have already explained the reasons for the rejection of these nomination lists. I think people are already aware about it. The hectic atmosphere prevailed when these nomination lists were prepared also led to reject some of these nomination lists. In addition, there was no systematic program to formulate some of these nomination lists.

Various other reasons were also affected to reject these nomination lists. Sometimes the narrow minded mentality of some provincial politicians also led to reject some of these nomination lists.

Q: Some election observers said the voters did not have much enthusiasm to cast their vote at this Local Government election. How do you view this comment made by the election observers?

A: The percentage of the voter turnout at every Local Government election is low compared with other elections.

Sometimes there is a tendency of recording 70 to 80 percent voter turnout at Presidential and General elections. But this percentage is reduced to 61 or 62 percent at Provincial Council elections. At the Local Government elections this percentage seems to be further reduce to 50 percent or less than 50 percent.

At present there is no anti-government trend among the people. Therefore, those who want to hurt the Government did not go to the polling stations to cast their vote.

At this Local Government election, there is no risk of rescue or defend the Government as well. As a result, those who want to rescue the Government may also not cast their vote as there is no such risk faced by the Government.

Normally candidates who have a close rapport with candidates in their areas come to vote at the Local Government elections. This is the reason for the recline in the percentage of the voter turnout at the Local Government elections.

Q: Can you be satisfied with the work fulfilled by the Local Government bodies during the past four years?

A: During the past four years, Local Government institutions have fulfilled a large amount of work. Under the Government's 'Maga Neguma' and 'Gama Neguma' programs, they have played a major role to develop the rural road net work and other infrastructure facilities at villages.

But we cannot be satisfied only that task fulfilled by the Local Government institutions. They should contribute more towards the Government's development drive. Even today there are some unsettled problems at villages.

The Local Government institutions should provide solutions to these problems faced by the villages. As the next stage, Jana Sabha system will also be introduced to the country.

These Jana Sabhas will be created at electoral level. In future, these Jana Sabhas will decide on the nature of the development to take place at the village. Whatever institution allocates money, they have to allocate money towards the development work decided upon by these Jana Sabhas.

This would prevent the misuse of public funds or spend them for various unnecessary things.

In future, the Jana Sabha in that village will have all the powers to decide on the needs of that village and inform Pradeshiya Sabhas, Provincial Councils and the Central Government to take steps to fulfil those requirements. Therefore, we have the confidence that the Government's development drive will be more formal and accurate in the near future.

Q: Do you think the functions of the Local Government institutions should be turned into a more productive manner? Does the Government intend to vest more powers to the Local Government bodies?

A: Instead of making changes to the basic structure of the Local Government institutions, a change should be made to improve the quality of the functions fulfilled by them.

The new Local Government Act to be passed in Parliament includes provisions to further strengthen the Local Government institutions and also to control some of the arbitrary powers exercised by them.

For example, according to the existing Local Government system, if the vote of the budget of a Local Government institutions is defeated two times, the chairman of that Local Government institution has powers to be in that post further and run that Local Government institution.

The new Local Government Act has changed this situation and made compulsory to elected chairman of that Local Government institution to be with the members of his group.

At present some Chairmen of Local Government institutions do not care or listen even to the members of his own group. They have engaged in a "one man show" due to some arbitrary powers vested with them by the present Local Government Act.

The proposed new Local Government Act has completely changed this situation by making it compulsory for the chairman to pay heed to his members and jointly work with them. This kind of changes are essential at this juncture. Because the security forces made lot of sacrifice and bring peace to this country not to further continue some these primitive methods.

The country should go for new programs to suit the modern day needs. Once these changes are made, a lot of quality improvement will be made in these Local Government institutions.

Q: How the Government can strengthen its future programs until 2017 under "Mahinda Chinthana Idiri Dekma" as the Government has been able to capture the power of a majority of the Local Government bodies?

A: During the election campaign we told the people "of four wheels of our vehicle, we have already fixed three wheels- Presidential, General and the Provincial Council wheels.

We have to fix only Local Government election wheel to our vehicle. If a wheel of the Opposition political party is fixed to this vehicle, it will not match. Therefore, we requested the people to fix this wheel also from the UPFA to expedite development drive launched by the Government.

The people have fully endorsed our request by giving the power of the majority of the Local Government institutions to the UPFA.

Q: Polls related violence were also reported during the Local Government election campaign as well. Certain sections point out these incidents would have not occurred or minimized if the elections were held under the new electoral system. Why couldn't the Government hold the elections under the new system?

A: Several reasons were behind that. The major difficulty faced by the Government was that it did not have the possibility of demarcating the electorates within a short period.

It will take some time to demarcate these electorates. But the Government was of the view that it is not suitable to postpone the Local Government elections until the demarcation of these electorates is completed.

That is why the Government decided to conduct the Local Government elections under the existing system. However, this would be the last Local Government election held under the existing electoral system.

Q: How do you hope to get the support of the Local Government institutions towards housing and other construction projects implemented by your Ministry?

A: I hope to get the fullest cooperation of the Local Government members to implement these projects. President Rajapaksa has also given instructions in this regard. We have decided to expedite our housing development programs up to Grama Niladari divisions from next year. Therefore, the contribution of Local Government member is vital to commence programs at village level.