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Methsiri de Silva, a popular figure in the field of politics in the Galle District is ready to face the forthcoming Local Government Election on October 8. He is no doubt confident of his victory and becoming the Mayor again. Methsiri is efficient and hardworking. He loves people irrespective of their caste, creed or religion. He has a vision to help people in the Galle District and to fulfil this obligation he needs to carry out development activities in his area. The sacrifice and the commitment he makes towards people every time is the hidden secret of winning all elections he faced from the beginning of his political career in 1991. An old boy of Prince of Wales College, Moratuwa and Lumbini Vidyalaya in Colombo, Methsiri entered Sri Jayawardanapura University in 1982 . He holds a degree for Economics and Business studies. A father of two sons and a daughter, Methsiri is also a very popular lecturer in Economics and Business studies. In an interview with Sunday Observer, Methsiri highly appreciated the encouragement always extended by his wife in his political activities. He said a woman is always behind the success of a man. He also said he published an election manifesto under the theme `Methsiri de Silva to complete the remaining work in Galle'. This booklet, he believes gives a complete discription about the work he carried out during his tenure as the Mayor and a member of the MMC. He said the booklet also creates the awareness of people in Galle about future development programs in the fields of agricultural, fishing and in the tourism sector . According to Methsiri, the MC could start a number of programs to develop the fishing and tourism sectors in the District and it is also the duty of the MC to encourage people to develop the tourism sector . Speaking about his political career, Methsiri said he has been in active politics since 1991 and during this 20-year period he held a number of positions in the Galle Municipal Council . He bacame the Opposition Leader of the MC from 2002 to 2006 and was elected as the Galle Mayor for two years and seven months during the period between 2009 to 2011. Another elected candidate who also obtained similar preferential votes at the election was appointed as the Mayor in Galle MC. In addition, Methsiri was the Secretary of the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna Youth League during 1991 - 1997, Chief Organiser in Habaraduwa from 1993- 1994, a member of the Galle MC from 1991 to 2008, Chairman of the Galle Environment Society from 1997 to 2002. and from 2006 to 2008. Methsiri said during his tenure as the Mayor and also a member of the MC, he launched various development work in the Galle Municipal Council area. Among them the construction of buildings at Heenpalla that were devastated by the Tsunami in 2004, construction of the security wall around the MC area, beautify the Galle city by removing unauthorised stuctures, removing garbage at least two times a day, introducing a proper garbage disposal system, clearing all dengue breeding grounds at junctions, bus stands , near schools and religious places , conducting sports tournaments among schools in the Galle District, constructing vehicle parks, a fish market, a main bus stand in the city etc... He said he also made arrangements to carpet almost all main roads in the Galle District and other by-roads were also carpeted with concrete. He also focussed special attention over the educational activities of pre-schools and day care centres in the district during his tenure. His wish is to establish more nursery schools in the district, especially for children in low income families. Methsiri also plans to improve health facilities of people living in distant and rural areas. Accordingly he wishes to establish more healthcare centres outside the city , so that people should not come to Galle city to get medicine . In addition, he has also plans to start Ayurveda medical centres at selected places in the city for the benefit of people seeking native treatment. Methsiri also spoke about the starting of a proper garbage collection program which helps to eradicate dengue from the area. Accordingly he has plans to start a garbage collection progarm during the night time, so that garbage collectors could perform a better job , since only a few vehicles are plying on the roads during this period.\ Although dengue had become a great menace to the Galle area in the past, we have controlled it to a greater extent . We have also planned to start weekly dengue eradication programs with the help of police, school children, the employees of local authorities etc. Among other proposals, the MC has also planned to establish paper recycling plants , so that papers that are collected from household, shops and from heaps of garbage could be recycled. Methsiri also said he has plans to start an anti smoking and alchohol campaign with the help of school children in the area. Accordingly, we will hold awareness programs in schools, religious places and offices to educate people on the dangerousness of alchohol and smoking. According to a recent research, we have found that many schools and pre-schools in the area lack sports goods . We have plans to provide sports goods as well as books to libraries . The transport services are not successful on several rural roads during night time and therefore we have plans to deploy additional buses at that time for the benefit of workers in free trade zones and other places. |
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