A white elephant turned into a pro-people institution - WPC Chief
Minister
by Ranil Wijayapala

WPC Chief Minister, Prasanna Ranathunga
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There were times the Provincial Council system was considered a white
elephant and played no significant role in local politics excepting
during the election period. But the recently concluded provincial
council elections proved otherwise. News of Western Provincial
Council(WPC) elections in April being held next year is rife. We spoke
to the Chief Minister of the Western Provincial Council, Prasanna
Ranathunga at Sravasthi in Colombo about the preparation for these
elections and the challenges expected.
Excerpts of the interview
Q:The media is agog that the Western Provincial Council will be
dissolved and elections will be held in April. What is the basis for
these media reports ?
A:The term of the present Council ends in May next year. Elections
for the WPC is due to be held after May 2014. However, there is no final
decision. Although the media is rife that WPC elections are to be held
in April next year, we have not discussed it at official level.
Q: You became the Chief Minister of the WPC in May 2009. Are you
happy with the progress the Council has made in the past four and a half
years ?
A: As a person who has represented this Council for 20 years, I am
glad, about the progress we have made. During this period we made
changes in the Council. I got the support of all members to make changes
in the province. We have turned this Council which was considered a
white elephant into a pro-people institution. If the budgets of the past
four years are compared with previous budgets, we have maintained
capital expenditure of the Council above 15 per cent. This is a huge
achievement.
Q:What is the achievement as far as education in the province is
concerned?
A:When I was appointed Chief Minister only Rs.800 million was
allocated for education. That was increased to Rs.1600 million by 2012.
The teacher- student ratio that was maintained at one teacher for 25
students was reduced to one teacher for 20 students during my tenure.
Human and physical resources were increased. Now, there are no closure
of schools. Instead we opened schools that were closed. The number of
students in the classroom were limited to 42. Teachers were given
training as we had the lowest percentage of trained teachers in the
primary sections. Only 51 per cent were trained teachers. In other
provinces it was over 68 percent. In the Eastern province it was above
70 percent. We obtained Rs. 100 million from President Mahinda Rajapaksa
and began a program to train primary section teachers. By the end of
this year 100 percent were trained. Qualitative education under the
concept of 'Best things for children' was formulated. Dhamma school
education was improved at an unprecedented level.
Q:What is the progress in the road development sector and
infrastructure ?
A: Road development is on a high. Nearly 75 percent of the roads are
carpeted. By the end of this year we will increase that to 80 percent.
Q: What is the progress of the Provincial State service ?
A:During the past four years we have recruited over 9400 graduates as
teachers. More than 12,000 recruitments have been made to the other
sectors . Those serving in the provincial state service was increased
from 56,000 to 86,000 . We expect to give an efficient and effective
service to the people as expected by President Mahinda Rajapaksa from
state employees.
Q:Do you believe that the numerical increase in the provincial state
service can have qualitative improvement in the service ?
A:An attitudinal change is paramount at this point of time. That is
why we launched target- oriented programs to improve the quality of our
service. In the past few years we achieved financial progress and
physical development. The WP had the highest number of admissions to
universities from the Science and Maths streams .
Q: there is a quantum leap in the education sector. Change of primary
sections of the schools and over the establishment of Mahindodaya
schools at provincial level. What steps have you taken to resolve such
issues ?
A: People are disoriented when systems are changed. When the primary
section of the school was shifted to Dharmapala Vidyalaya,
Pannipitiyathere were protests. This school was in a small location and
was congested because there were a large number of students. We combined
the two sections and relocated the primary section , that primary
section is functioning well. Journalists should see the difference.
Q:But there were incidents relating to the shifting of the primary
section ?
A: We cannot change decisions when people threaten suicide over the
issue. We i kept one class with the main school on a request made by a
Nayaka Thera. This created more divisions in the school. We decided to
take that class also to the new premises .
This school now has two playgrounds and primary section students can
now involve in extra curricular activities .
The Mahindodaya School system is the only solution to reduce
congestion in Colombo schools. These facilities should not be given to
national schools and schools which have resources. President Mahinda
Rajapaksa expects to provide facilities available in popular schools to
rural schools. Schools in the rural areas lack facilities compared to
better schools in the cities.
Q:The Western province represents two extreme ends of society. What
are the programs it has launched for low income groups ?
A: The WPC carried out programs parallel to national level programs.
The Government launched ‘Divi Neguma’ for rural uplift. When these were
implemented at District and Divisional secretariat level, officers
attached to the Provincial Councils were the officers in charge of these
programmes at village level as well.
We have commenced a program to provide assistance for self- employed
people in the province in the Divulapitiya area as a pilot project.
Q:Waste management is a big issue in the WPC. The Waste Management
Authority (WMA) is finding a solution . How do you see this situation ?
A:The WMA is implementing a number of measures. The talking point is
about the cleanliness of cities and roads. It is true that Local
Government authorities are doing a major part .Who is taking care of al
garbage collected by the Local Government bodies., it is the WMA of the
Western Provincial Council.
Q: The waste to energy project that was due to start in Kaduwela is
delayed. What is the reason?
A: Investors have come and the project can start. But there is a
request from the political authority not to implement the project.
Investors are ready to start the project once we get the land.
In Karadiyana also a waste to energy project has been initiated and a
composting plant.
Though there is a delay in implementing waste to energy project the
composting plant is above to start. The composting plant will begin by
the end of November. We are doing a silent service.
Q:Some local Authorities face difficulties regarding garbage, as they
are lack resources. What program has the Provincial Council have for
them ?
A:We have provided whatever assistance we could . Some Local
Government bodies use vehicles provided by us for garbage transportation
for other work. These vehicles and equipment must be used to keep cities
and roads clean.
Q:Environmental hazards have arisen because of some factories . What
action has the Council taken to avoid such incidents ?
A: There are national level bodies to the handle those issues. In the
Rathupaswala incident, the factory was established more than 20 years
ago. Initially when waste water was released to the nearby paddy field
people protested. At that time my father was the Environment Minister
and he gave directives to take precautionary measures. The closure of
the factory was not demanded because they benefited. There are internal
issues. Even today sections believe that they can settle this issues
through discussions. Basil Rajapaksa as the leader of the district and
President Mahinda Rajapaksa have directed to shift the chemical based
factories to Industrial Zones and to establish only the small industries
in rural areas.
Q:There was an incident at the Colombo Muncipal Council over the
destroying of important documents. What action has the Provincial
Council taken to resolve the issue ?
A:An inquiry has been held. There is no huge damage. Certain
documents have been destroyed without following stipulated procedure.
After the initial inquiry the secondary investigations are also going
on. Police are conducting a separate investigation.
Q:In 2009, you faced the Provincial Council election at the brink of
ending the three decade long war. What political challenges are expected
at this juncture if you contest at this juncture ?
A:Yes the last PC election was when the war on terrorism was in its
final days. At that time people supported us. Elections for the North
Western and Central provinces were held last month and people reassured
the confidence on President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Elections in the North
taught us a good lesson. The Northern Provincial Council was elected on
a communal basis. We know how they are going to act in the future. The
Tamil diaspora is active at international level. I know, if not for
President Mahinda Rajapaksa no one would face those challenges posed to
us internationally. People realised that they should strengthen the
hands of the President. I know that the Sinhala, Tamil and Muslims in
the WP will support the President to maintain the peace and face
international challenges. The people will give a higher percentage of
votes at the next election.
Q:As a person representing the Gampaha district do you think that you
made a change in the district during your tenure?
A:There were huge changes in the district during the past few years.
It will be reflected in the election results.
Q:Do you think you will become the Chief Minister again ?
A:When I was appointed as Chief Minister, I never expected it. That
was a decision made by the leadership of the party. I am ready to follow
any decision taken by the party. I never protested when I was not given
a single Ministerial portfolio even after I did my duty to the Council
as the Acting Chief Minister during President Chandrika Kumrathunga's
period. Then I was given the Health Ministry and I did my best. I was
then appointed as the Chief Minister. I think I have done my best as the
Chief Minister too. I will adhere to party decisions.
Q:Provincial politics has become so popular these days and some MPs
and even Ministers resign and contest Provincial Council elections. Do
you think this will happen in the WPC elections also ?
A:It is good to have national level leaders at PC elections. The
dignity of the Provincial Council will be maintained if such leaders
contest PC elections. At the last PC election some candidates from the
Colombo district spent lavishly. I did not have that much of money to
spend for the election. People in the Gamapha district elevated me to
the highest position in the province through their vote.
I don't have any problem contesting the election. I am glad if
popular and national level politicians contest the elections. That will
strengthen our vote base. |