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The burning issues affecting the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) ratepayers can be resolved only by the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA), said CMC UPFA candidate Mohammed Muzammil in an interview with the Sunday Observer . Excerpts of the interview: Q: The National Freedom Front (NFF), headed by Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities Minister Wimal Weerawansa is one of the constituent parties of the UPFA Government. As the NFF media spokesman working closely with Minister Wimal Weerawansa, you have said that there are three major issues affecting the Colombo City ratepayers. Can you elaborate on those issues? A: The lack of adequate shelter is the major cause of grievance of the city dwellers. Three or four families live within one perch of land without even the basic needs such as toilets or drinking water. The complex problem of shanties is a worldwide phenomenen. Social vices such as drinking, smoking and addiction to drugs is rampant among the shanty dwellers due to the unhealthy environment. Most shanties are located near stagnant waterways. The ratepayers have no faith in the UNP’s weak administration. There are altogether 1,612 underserved settlements called ‘Somaliya Watta’, ‘Korea Watta’ and ‘798 Watta” in Colombo. Q: What are your solutions to this complex situation? A: The UNP held the power in the CMC for over 40 years. They failed to implement a development plan for Colombo and ad hoc solutions were applied from time to time. Immediately after the eradication of LTTE’s terrorism, the government launched plans to develop the country. The government gave priority to make Sri Lanka a commercial hub in the region. The Colombo development plan is in progress on the initiative of Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
Over 65,000 people in Colombo do not have houses and even those who have are denied the basic facilities. The Urban Development Authority (UDA) and the National Housing Development Authority (NHDA) have already launched condominium projects to accommodate 17,500 families. The projects will be completed within three years. I must emphasise that the UPFA Government has a proper plan to develop the country and make Colombo a major commercial city. Q: What will be the future of shanties under a UPFA - led CMC? A: That the shanties will be removed and slum dwellers relocated is a blatant lie. It is merely a fabricated story. Colombo residents will be given new houses with basic facilities in Colombo itself, not from anywhere else. They will also have a living room to sit in and rest when they return home after work. Q: What do you think about the main opposition, the UNP, its candidates and their propaganda work? A: The UNP group, says it does not need Central Government assistance to build houses for slum dwellers . If this is so, they could have done it without waiting for the elections to be held. Q: What sort of relationship is expected between the Central Government and the CMC? A: The CMC could not retain what it achieved during the colonial era, after 1994. It there is a conflict of interest between the Central Government and the CMC, the public suffers. Generally, the CMC income is a little over seven billion rupees and a substantial portion is set apart for staff salaries, and other routing work - such as maintenance of roads and services. The UNP did carry out day-to-day administration which they had been routinely doing during the last 40 years without support from the Central Government. Q: Are you confident of your victory? A: The UPFA will certainly score a clear victory. The CMC should maintain close relations with the Central Government which has created an environment of national unity an harmony. |
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