Resounding mandate to Govt:

Landslide victory at polls certain - Dy Minister Indika Bandaranayake

By Uditha KUMARASINGHE

Provincial Councils and Local Government Deputy Minister Indika Bandaranayake says the Government would achieve a landslide victory at the March 17 Local Government polls.

The Deputy Minister in an interview with the Sunday Observer said during the past few years the Government under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa has made rapid development in villages, especially infrastructure facilities.

The people will give a resounding mandate to the Government at the forthcoming Local Polls as they are well aware about the rapid development taking place in their areas, he added.

Q: Several new Local Government areas have been demarcated and some others have expanded boundaries. What was the need for this?

A: A special committee has been appointed by the Ministry to take decisions to establish these new Local Government areas. When new Local Government areas are declared, this committee will take into consideration the population ratio and geographical background in that area. After that this committee will decide whether a new Urban Council, Municipal Council or Pradeshiya Sabha area is to be declared in some Local Government areas. The Ministry has set up nearly 20 such new Local Government institutions. Instead of expanding the boundaries of the existing Local Government bodies, the Ministry has taken steps to set up new Local Government institutions.

For an example earlier there was only one Local Government institution for the entire Dambadeniya electorate. Initiatives were taken to divide it into two Local Government areas such as Narammala and Alawwa considering the extent of land area of the electorate.

Q:Will more powers be granted to local bodies to streamline development work at village level? What kind of role will the local bodies play in the Government's plans for devolution?

A: Local Government institutions are the key State mechanism which helps to develop countrywide villages. Therefore, the Government has given priority to the Local Government institutions when these development programs are implemented at village level.

During the regime of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, a large amount of money has been allocated to develop the infrastructure facilities of countrywide villages. During the last year alone, Rs.1 million was reserved on behalf of each Grama Niladari division. We have appointed the members of the Local Government institutions to supervise the development activities at village level. The intention of the Government is to provide sufficient financial allocations to the Local Government institutions and implement the development process at village level in a more formal manner.

It is entirely up to the Government to decide on the role to be played by the Local Bodies in the Government's plans for devolution.

The late President J.R. Jayewardene introduced the Provincial Council system as a solution to the North-East problem. But the Provincial Council system has not been able to provide a meaningful solution to this problem. I am confident under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Government will provide a lasting solution to this issue with the consultation of all political parties. In a situation where terrorism has been eradicated from the country, some sort of decentralisation of power should be made in future. As a result powers will also be devolved among the Local Government institutions as well.

Q:Does the Government have a plan to go beyond Pradeshiya Sabhas and set up a smaller Local Government unit like Jana Sabhas or Panchyats as in India?

A: We tried our best to conduct the Local Government election under the new electoral system because the people, political parties and the civil society had a great interest in the new electoral system. But we found difficulties in implementing this electoral system during the forthcoming Local Government election. The present PR system has become complicated to voters and it has created so many other problems as well.

Therefore, our intention was to go for a new electoral system and appoint members to each electorate so that there would be a representative in each electorate. The intention of the Government was to develop each electorate with the assistance of these public representatives. But we did not have enough time to implement the new electoral system.

We would definitely introduce this new electoral system in the near future. Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa took the lead to introduce this Jana Sabha concept. The Government's plan is to convert one Grama Niladari division into a Jana Sabha and develop that village. We would be able to implement this concept in the near future.

Q: Many nominations lists of all parties were rejected. It seems that there is lack of knowledge about the requirements for nominations at Local polls among all parties. How can this situation be addressed to avoid rejections in the future?

A: The nominations and all other related matters are conducted according to the Local Government Act. If the Local Government election was held under the new electoral system, this kind of shortcomings would have not taken place. Each political party should act according to the guidelines issued by the Election Secretariat.

Most of these nomination lists have been rejected due to small spelling mistakes in the names of the candidates or their political parties. As a result even the voters have also faced inconvenience. It was the UPFA which suffered the rejection of the highest number of nomination lists. At present this matter has been brought before the courts. We hope the court would do justice.

Q: Has the UPFA investigated what caused the rejections?

A: Yes. We have already taken this matter into consideration seriously. As I mentioned earlier, most of our nomination lists have been rejected due to some trivial mistakes such as the spelling of the names of the candidates and the political party.

Q: How can parties ensure that more youth, especially women, enter politics through the Local Government bodies?

A: According to the local government election law, 40 percent of the nomination lists presented by each political party should comprise youth below 35 years.

I think this is an opportunity provided to youth to enter politics. Compared to previous Local Government elections, the UPFA has also presented more female candidates in each nomination list.

Q: How do you plan to coordinate development activities between Provincial Councils and Local Bodies?

A: The task of our Ministry is to supervise and coordinate the activities of the Provincial Councils and Local Government Institutions. But the responsibility of the development activities in that province has been entrusted to the Provincial Councils.

The Pradeshiya Sabhas are responsible to the Chief Minister in that respective province. Our Ministry always functions as the mediator between Provincial Councils and Local Bodies. But we have laid emphasis to create a close coordination and bond between these institutions in the near future. It would help minimize the existing shortcomings in these Local Government Institutions and conduct their activities in a more efficient manner.

Q: Why wasn't it possible to conduct the March 17 Local Polls on the new electoral system? Why was it necessary to postpone elections for some Local Bodies ?

A: The last Local Government Election was held in 2006. Therefore, we have completed only four years. According to the Local Government Act, the Local Government Minister has powers to extend the tenure of Local Government institutions by another one year.

The then Minister had extended the tenure of the Local Government institutions by one year. Therefore, the tenure of Local Bodies is due to end on March 31 this year and the elections should be held before March 31. If we go to the new electoral system, at least another one year is needed to implement it. We have to demarcate the electorates. Then we will have to extend the tenure of these Local Government institutions as well. However, the constituent parties of the UPFA Government maintained the view that the Local Government polls should be held on time without postponing them.

As a result it was difficult for the Government to conduct the Local Polls under the new electoral system.

The elections for some Local Bodies have been postponed based on the legal provisions in the Local Government Act. Our intention was to conduct the Local polls for the entire Local Government institutions. MP Arjuna Ranatunga had also requested the President to postpone the Local polls by another year due to forthcoming ICC World Cup.

As a Government we are unable to postpone the elections by another year.

Having considered this situation, the President decided to postpone the elections for some Local bodies in the cities where the World Cup matches are scheduled to take place.

If we postpone the elections of all Local Government Bodies, we would give a wrong impression to the world. Therefore, we decided to postpone the elections of nearly 30 Local Bodies in major cities. At the Mayor's conference, all the Mayors requested to postpone the elections of all Municipal Councils and Urban Councils in the areas where the World Cup matches will be played. Therefore, the President decided to postpone the elections of all Local Bodies which are located in these areas and conduct their elections on a particular day.

Q:Is there any provision for postponing the Local Polls if the floods continue? Is the Government considering such an option?

A: The Government has laid emphasis regarding this issue. If rains continue, we will have to postpone elections in flood affected areas. The Elections Commissioner has also focused attention on the issue. Following discussions with political parties, the Commissioner will decide. But no decision has been taken so far to postpone the Local polls in flood affected areas. At present thousands of people have been displaced due to floods. Steps should be taken to create an environment conducive for flood victims to resume their livelihood and attend to their needs.

Q:The Government lost the budget at several Local Government bodies. Will this have any bearing on the election results?

A:If we take as a percentage, the Government has lost the budget at only a very few Local Government bodies. This is not the first time that the budget of some Local Government bodies was defeated. This kind of incidents have taken place during the history of Local Government institutions.

The Opposition attempts to highlights this as a big issue and says this is a defeat for the Government. But it is not so. The budget lost in some Local Government bodies had been passed when it was presented a second or third time. In a situation where the Opposition has faced a severe setback they attempt to point out these minor incidents as serious issues.

But I can say with responsibility that the UPFA would achieve a resounding victory at the forthcoming Local Government polls.

Q: How is the UPFA planning campaigns for the Local Government elections?

A: The UPFA has put forward a good team of candidates. We have presented a large number of young and educated candidates representing all the constituent parties of the UPFA. At present the UPFA election campaign is being conducted countrywide in a very successful manner. So we are in a strong position at the moment.

Q: The Opposition alleges that the prices of consumer goods have gone up and this would seriously affect the Government at the Local polls. Your comments?

A: We have to admit the fact there is an increase of the prices of goods such as vegetables and coconuts. There are reasons for that. The bad weather affected the prices of vegetables. We believe this situation will be normal within the next two or three months.

But we don't think the increase in the prices of some consumer goods will cause a serious impact on the outcome of the Local Government polls.

This is an election to be conducted to develop the village. Under the regime of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, villages have been subjected to a rapid development during the past few years.

A large amount of money has been allocated to develop the infrastructure facilities in villages such as to provide electricity and develop the rural road network. The people are well aware about the development activities taking place in their villages. We have no doubt the people will vote for the UPFA en masse, helping the Government to achieve a landslide victory at the Local Government polls.