Local Councillors to be co-opted in development drive

by Ranil WIJAYAPALA

The government will launch a program to provide training for all local Councillors district-wise to get the active participation of 4,200 members of the 335 Local Government bodies in the massive development drive to be launched soon to improve infrastructure facilities countrywide.

Provincial Councils and Local Government Ministry Secretary Dr. Nihal Jayathilaka told the Sunday Observer that the first workshop and seminar under this program will be held in the Gampaha district to train 344 Local Councillors in the district, under the patronage of Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa from November 11 - 12 at Minuwangoda. "We are to providing this training for 4,200 Local Councillors in 22 Municipal Councils, 42 Urban Councils and 271 Pradeshiya Sabhas, covering all districts including Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu in the North," Dr. Jayathilaka said.

He said the Provincial Councils and Local Government Ministry organised this program under the provisions of the Ministry with assistance from the Asian Development Bank through a soft loan facility.

"Our prime objective is to get the Local Councillors into the massive development drive to be launched targeting all Local Government bodies with special focus on the backward Local Government bodies," he said.

Improving infrastructure facilities in all parts of the country has been given priority and the Government plans to get the participation of these Local Government bodies for the massive development drive under the Mahinda Chinthana Idiri Dekma.

"Our Ministry, through this program hopes to improve the capacity of these Local Councillors to get their direct involvement," he said. "We are planning to re-engineer the processes and the services of the Local Government bodies to ensure public convenience and the quality of services "through these seminars and workshops to be held countrywide within the next two months", he said.

Dr. Jayathilaka said that these workshops will also focus on providing knowledge for members about the Councils' practices, tender procedures, budget, Local Government laws and bylaws.

They will also be enlightened on ways of evolving income generation mechanisms for Local Government bodies and also on divisional development planning processes.

"These seminars are also aimed at improving their skills on participatory governance by means of providing them a knowledge on how to engage civil society when delivering important and essential services by Local Government bodies", he said.

He said Provincial Councils and Local Government Minister A.L.M. Athaullah, Deputy Minister Indika Bandaranayake and Western Province Chief Minister Prasanna Ranatunga will also participate in the inaugural seminar at Minuwangoda on November 11.