Matara MC

People will endorse Govt's development program - Sosindra Handunge

By Uditha KUMARASINGHE

The Matara Municipal Council

Sosindra Handunge possesses a political career which spans over 20 years. During his two decade political career, he has acted as the first chairman of the Matara Pradeshiya Sabha, a member of Matara Municipal Council and a member of Southern Provincial Council. At present is the SLFP Matara District organiser and the Matara District Coordinator of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Sosindra who is the UPFA Team Leader for the Matara MC election in an interview with the Sunday Observer said he is confident that the UPFA would achieve a resounding victory by securing 11 or 12 seats at the forthcoming Local Government Elections. The division made among the UNP members in Matara with another team contesting to the MC as an independent group has also paved the way for the UPFA to achieve an easy victory. He said in a situation where most of the candidates contesting to the Local Government Bodies have presented their personal policy statements, they are the only UPFA team contesting for the Matara MC who have presented a manifesto as a team named Matara puravasi sannasa.

Q: With election campaigns in progress are you confident the UPFA would be able to retain power at the MC?

A: There is no doubt about the UPFA's victory at Matata MC. Because the UPFA has been able to win all elections in Matara from 1991 to date. At present, Matara district UNP MP Mangala Samaraweera has put forward a team to the MC election under the UNP banner while Matara district UNP MP Buddhika Pathirana has also presented another team as an independent group. Therefore it has become easy for the UPFA to win Matara MC due to the division within the UNP.

Q: If the UPFA gains power at the Matara MC what would be your priorities to develop the Matara city?

A: The 'Mahinda Chintana' has clearly mentioned to develop Matara as one of the most dignified cities in the Southern Province. According to my knowledge, this is the first time that a country's State leader has made special references about Matara in a political manifesto. The Government has already spent a huge amount of money to convert Matara into a well developed city in the country. We have identified several priorities to develop the Matara city under the new UPFA administration of the MC. We are the only team contesting a Local Government body who have presented a policy statement as a team without too many policy statements from individual candidates. That is why we have introduced a 20-point manifesto to develop Matara city. We have focused our attention to formulate a methodology which the MC can coordinate with all State institutions.

We would initiate a service which would operate round the clock to provide solutions the problems faced by the people in the city. Attention has also been focused to establish a Youth Park in collaboration with the Youth Affairs Ministry and set up more children's parks within the city. Steps will be taken to computerise all institutions which come under the purview of the MC. On the directives given by the President, the river bank from public market premises to Piladuwa will be converted into a most attractive paradise for the benefit of local and foreign tourists. When the vacancies are filled in the State institutions in Matara city, priority will be given to the children in the city. We have also focused attention to implement a national project in association with the cultural centre, library, Ruhunu university and the media. The month of September will be declared by the MC as 'Matara Season' each year. Various water games and events will be introduced to provide entertainment to Sri Lankans by promoting ethnic harmony among them.

However, my personal view is that Local Government institutions should do away with the attitude of depending on the allocations made by the Government. Each Local Government body should generate income avenues without being a burden to the Government.

Q: According to you how will the programs launched by the Government help the UPFA's victory at the Matara MC?

A: I think the election result of Matara MC should be different from other Municipal Councils as Matara MC is older than other Urban Councils.

The first Provincial Council set up in the South was also a significant Provincial Council established in the country. Southern Province possesses to a laudable political history and produce of illustrious political characters. Therefore the results of Matara MC are important than other provinces.

Q: Do you think the political leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the rapid development taking place in the Southern Province would have an impact on the UPFA vote base for the Matara MC?

A: Definitely. The UPFA was able to achieve all those key victories including the defeat of LTTE terrorism due to the political leadership of the President.

If the country did not have a proper political leadership with far sighted vision, we would have not been able to achieve these victories. Therefore the people in Matara will endorse the program initiated by the Government to develop the country.

Dissident group member M.N.M. Nabavi says:

UNP will lose due to divisions in party

by Uditha KUMARASINGHE

M.N.M. Nabavi is a senior member who has represented the Matara Municipal Council from the UNP over the past nine years. He was the former Opposition Leader of the council when it was dissolved for elections. Nabavi and another group of UNP members have decided to contest the election for the Matara MC as an independent group under the spectacle symbol as they were not given nominations by the UNP.

Nabavi in an interview with the Sunday Observer said the UNP will definitely lose Matara MC due to the division within the party. He said of the 15 seats in Matara MC, the UPFA would secure nine while the UNP will get only two seats. He said their independent group is targeting at least three seats. The UNP is not in a position whatsoever to pose any challenge for the victory of the UPFA. Nabavi is of the view that immediate reforms should be made within the UNP to overcome the present crisis.

Q: You are one of the senior UNP members who has represented the Matara Municipal Council. What led you and several other UNP members to form an independent group to contest the MC election?

A: I have been continuously representing the Matara MC for the past nine years. I was the Opposition Leader and UNP Group Leader of the Matara MC when it was dissolved for the elections. The UNP Matara organiser MP Mangala Samaraweera did not give me nominations as I extended my support to UNP MP Buddhika Pathirana at the last General Election. I have the right to extend my support to any candidate who contests from the UNP banner.

However, lot of UNPers requested me to contest the MC even under an independent group. Various invitations were made to me to join the UPFA as well. But my tendency was to contest the MC as an independent group.

Therefore, we decided to form an independent group to contest the Matara MC under the spectacle symbol. A group of UNP members at Kotte MC had also faced this similar situation due to the rejection of nominations. They are also contesting the Kotte MC as an independent group under the symbol of a sword. Even for the Colombo Municipal Council, most of the UNPers requested to put Imithiaz Bakeer Markar as the UNP mayoral candidate. But the UNP leadership put forward another candidate for it.

Q: Do you think the division within the UNP would have an impact on the UNP's vote base at Matara?

A: Definitely. There are only six genuine UNPers in the list submitted by Mangala Samaraweera. He rejected my nomination due to the support extended by me to Buddhika Pathirana at the last General Election. But I am a strong UNPer who has dedicated my life for the party. Unlike Mangala Samaraweera, I did not represent another political party and later joined the UNP. When Samaraweera contested the last General Election he represented the SLFP Mahajana Wing. After he was elected as an MP from the UNP at the last General election, he dissolved his own party and joined the UNP. However, he could not come first in the UNP list at the last General Election.

I should say Mangala Samaraweera by the rejection of my nominations has made a serious damage to the sovereignty of the Muslim community. If the people of Matara rejected me, I would definitely accept it. But he did not grant me nominations as I helped another UNP candidate who contested the General Election. Samaraweera is not a politician who can feel the pulse of the common man. Therefore a large number of UNPers requested me to contest the MC even as an independent group. We are the genuine UNPers who contest to the Matara MC under the spectacle symbol.

Q: Did you inform the rejection of your nominations to your party leadership?

A: I informed it to UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. Even the UNP MP Sajith Premadasa who intervened on the matter asked Wickremesinghe, is there any allegations against me to reject my nomination. However, the UNP Leader took the side of Samaraweera. Then MP Sajith Premadasa asked Wickeremesinghe why was he violating the policies of the party.

Q: Do you think the team put forward by the UNP would be able to win the Matara MC?

A: Definitely the UNP will be defeated at the Matara MC. The UNP will get only two seats. As an independent group, we are in a position to get three seats. The UPFA will obtain nine seats and sometimes the JVP may get one. The UNP is not in a position whatsoever to challenge the victory of the UPFA. All anti- Ranil UNPers will vote for our independent group. I think UNPers at this Matara MC election will give a strong signal to change the party leadership.

At present the election campaign in Matara is conducted in a peaceful manner. However, Mangala Samaraweera attempts to spread various rumours about the ongoing election campaign in Matara. Samaraweera has alleged that the Special Commissioner of Matara MC did not provide the ground to the UNP to conduct their political meetings. This is a baseless allegation levelled by him due to his inability to gather enough crowd for the UNP meetings.

Q: How do you view the present crisis within the UNP?

A:At present there is a big crisis within the party. Therefore reforms should be made within the party to overcome this situation.

Most of the UNPers hope to see that the party will come to power and provide employments to youth.

Priority for houses - Nandasena Sellahewa

Nandasena Sellahewa has gained reputation as a politician who has been continuously represented the Matara Municipal Council from the UNP during the past three decades.

He was also the first Deputy Mayor of Matara MC.

Sellahewa in an interview with the Sunday Observer said he is very confident that the UNP would be able to win the Matara MC at the forthcoming Local Government polls.

He said another group of UNPers contesting the MC as an independent group under the spectacle symbol will not make any impact on the UNP's vote base as people always vote for their party and not for any independent group.

Q: Despite the division within the UNP in Matara, do you think the UNP would be able to secure power at the Matara Municipal Council?

A: Definitely the UNP would be able to win the Matara MC. At present the UNP is successfully conducting election campaigns in Matara. We have also commenced house to house campaigns to educate people to vote for the UNP at the forthcoming election. Therefore, we are in a very good position to win the election.

Under the leadership of UNP MP Mangala Samaraweera, the UNP has put forward a very strong team. I am the most senior member of the UNP who has continuously represented Matara MC for the past three decades and I was the first Deputy Mayor of Matara MC.

During the past 30 years, I have set an example as a UNP member of the MC who was dedicated for the welfare of the public. So many UNP politicians in Matara crossed over to the Government, but I remained within the party to safeguard it.

Q: Don't you think another group of UNPers contesting for the MC as an independent group has posed a challenge to the UNP and it would affect the party vote base?

A: I don't think any UNPers will vote for this UNP group contesting to the MC under the spectacle symbol. Because the UNPers always vote for their party and not to other independent groups contesting from different symbols. Therefore this independent group is not a challenge to the UNP team contesting the MC.

Q: What was the reason for another group to contest the MC as an independent group under a different symbol?

A: A political party can submit the names of only 20 candidates for its list to contest the Matara MC election. However, nearly 120 applications had been submitted. Of them the party could select only 20 candidates. But all those who submit their applications think they are the most suitable persons to contest the election. As a result, a group of UNPers who had submitted their applications, formed an independent group to contest the MC under a different symbol. But I think they will not make any impact on the outcome of the UNP's vote base.

Q: Are you satisfied about the manner in which the election campaign is conducted by the political parties for the Matara MC?

A: Yes. At present the election campaign in Matara is being conducted by all political parties in a peaceful manner. There are about 10,000 families in the city which are favourable for the UNP. We have already conducted a house to house campaign which covered over 8,000 houses. The UNP has been able to obtain a very good response from the voters.

Therefore the UNP is in a very good position to win the election. We are contesting the election as a strong team. That is why we have not named a mayoral candidate or a team leader. We have made a team spirit to win the MC.

Q: If the UNP wins Matara MC, what would be your priorities to develop city?

A: Matara MC has a very good track for being the best MC. If we gain power, we will give priority to solve the housing problem of low income families. We would also focus attention on providing solutions to the problems faced by the elders.

UK