Ratnapura Municipal Council:

Former Mayor confident of UPFA victory

by Jaliya WIJEYEKOON

Local Government authority have rendered an immeasurable service to Sri Lanka even prior to independence. Local Government bodies were initially categorised under four groups; Village Councils, Town Councils, Urban Councils and Municipal Councils. With the introduction of the present constitution in 1978, the Local Government Act was amended, Village Councils and Town Councils were done away with, Pradeshiya Sabhas were introduced while Urban Councils and Municipal Councils remained. Quite a few of the local administrative powers were vested on these Local bodies.

Local Government elections are held once every four years and the October 8 election will elect provincial rulers for 23 local bodies across the country. Local elections this year had held in three different stages due to various constraints.

Ratnapura Municipal Council is the largest local body in the Ratnapura district and had been under the administration of both major parties from time to time. The immediate last term was under the UPFA and the former Mayor was Chandradasa Jayasinghe.

The Sunday Observer conducted an exclusive interview with Jayasinghe to obtain his views on the present political situation, the party strength, and his propaganda campaign to secure power for the UPFA.

Q: You had been actively involved in politics for almost three decades and was mayor during the last term of the Ratnapura Municipal Council. Are you happy with what you have achieved and what you have done for the benefit of the ratepayers of the Ratnapura Municipal Council?

A: Let me get back to the beginning. I started working for the people in Ratnapura soon after completing my studies while I was still in my early twenties. I worked closely with all SLFP leaders in Ratnapura since I was very impressed with the motto of SLFP's founder leader SWRD Bandaranaike - "Man's chief duty is to serve mankind". I contested the MC elections way back in the early eighties. Since then I have remained undefeated.

During this long career I have been helping and serving the people to the best of my ability. I shall briefly tell you what I have done as the mayor from 2007 onwards. I was the mayor from 1999-2003 as well.

After taking over as mayor in 2007, I prepared a comprehensive development plan for the betterment of ratepayers in the Ratnapura Municipal Council area with the assistance of many professionals.

Our development plan basically covered healthcare and sanitation, primary and secondary education, engineering and construction services, employment and self-employment, labour discipline and human resources management and overall socio-economic development.

These are only the main areas; under each category we have multi-faceted programs which would eventually lead to the well-being of all city dwellers.

Healthcare and sanitation

We have annually spent around Rs.20 million on the health service. I have during the last few years, introduced a number of new schemes such as provision of free medical services to expectant mothers, (pre-natal clinics), post-natal clinics, regular health and eye camps, and supply of free spectacles to the needy. We have a few maternity homes in the MC area and I have provided all facilities from MC funds for the welfare of mothers in the area.

Once or sometimes twice a year, we invite qualified doctors specialising in different ailments and conduct health camps to educate the people and provide medical advices to those who are unable to spend exorbitant amounts as channelling fees.

We have also spent large amounts of money on the Ratnapura General Hospital to purchase urgently needed medical equipment.

We have also innovated new methods to eradicate the dengue mosquito menace in the city. We are constantly monitoring the maintenance of the city's sewerage system. As you may know, we experience heavy rains during most months of the year and often some parts of our city go under water.

Sometimes this even damages the sewer-lines. Garbage disposal is yet another major problem that we had to face at the beginning. We worked out a practical program, spending a large amount of money to recycle our garbage and manufacture compost.

We opened a new garbage dumping centre at Godigamuwa and I could generate a few employment opportunities to the youth of MC area.

There are a large number of abandoned gem pits in the MC area with stagnant water which have turned into mosquito breading grounds. I have taken measures to either to fill or clean these pits regularly, to prevent the breading of mosquitoes. Similarly, we spend a substantial amount of MC revenue to maintain the healthcare and sanitation of city dwellers.

Education

We have set up a number of Montessori and preschools for the welfare of needy children in the MC area where preschool education is provided for a nominal fee. I have also granted scholarships to deserving students in the area from my monthly allocations.

I have also set up a scholarship fund to needy students who excel at the grade 5 scholarship examination to continue their studies.

We have set up a vocational training institute to provide professional training for students who drops out from schools after G.C.E. (O/l) and G.C.E. (A/L) examinations. Many youth have immensely benefited from this training centre; some have already found employment in various institutions while some have been profitably self-employed.

Construction and engineering services

I have carried out a lot of work during my last tenure for the benefit of the city dwellers. In brief, all lanes and byroads that come under the council have been carpeted or concreted with MC funds and with financial assistance from the Asian Development Bank.

We refurbished the Central Bus Stand for the convenience of not only the residents of Ratnapura but also those who travel there. Our public library building, which is named after the then government Agent Wales, and which had been in a dilapidated condition, was restored to its original condition.

The Municipal grounds and pavilion were renovated, spending a colossal amount of money. I obtained five new vehicles for the MC and maintain for an efficient security system throughout the year.

The new marketplace, which had to be an eyesore, was refurbished and is now a pleasant place to visit. In addition to these major development projects which are already completed, have many other major projects which are in the construction stage at present. One is the "Mahajana Pola" in which I have invested millions of rupees from the Ratnapura ratepayer's revenue.

Q: During your political career, you have done a lot of services to the Ratnapura area and the SLFP. Why weren't you interested in national politics?

A: Well, I am a contented man and don't go after positions or power even at a previous local election, I scored the highest number of preferences in our list. But I was not given the mayor post. I didn't grumble and accepted the deputy mayor's post willingly.

I must tell you clearly that I have not got anything from the party or from any minister for my political campaign or for my personal needs.

Q: How do you rate your chances of winning the forthcoming Local Government elections?

A: It's a foregone conclusion. I am quite confident that the people of Ratnapura will not forget me or the UPFA for the vast development already carried out and especially for bringing in a peaceful environment, not only in the North and the East, but also in the rest of the country.