A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
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Thiranjala Weerasinghe sj.- One Island Two Nations
?????????????????????????????????????????????????Saturday, January 20, 2018
Ensure A Free and Fair Election and Elect Honest Candidates
Local Councils are, primarily, area-based representative governments with a mandate to manage local issues and plan for the community’s needs.
The following statement issued by the Australian Advocacy for Good Governance in Sri Lanka, Melbourne, Australia
(January 19, 2018, Melbourne, Sri Lanka Guardian) The
Local Government Elections in Sri Lanka are to be held on 10 February
2018. Under the new mixed electoral voting system, 8,356 councillors are
to be elected from 341 councils, an increase of 3870 councillors from
the last elections.
The Executive Director of the People’s Action for Free and Fair
Elections (PAFFREL) in his recent briefing said that a large number of
various criminals have received nominations to contest the elections.
PAFFREL further states that of the 243 complaints received so far, 182
have been confirmed, of which 61 pertain to the UNP, 60 pertain to the
SLFP/UPFA and 48 pertain to the newly formed SLPP (Sri Lanka Peoples
Peramuna). In addition, wheeler-dealers including political parties
appear to be engaged in ‘bribing’ and ‘fooling’ the electorate to vote
for their candidates.
The Australian Advocacy for Good Governance in Sri Lanka (AAGGSL) wishes to emphasise the solemn pledges made at the 2015 Presidential Election and the 2016 General Elections, that rule of law, cleaner government and practicing democracy will be established, and in particular, electoral malpractices will be prevented.
Local Councils are, primarily, area-based representative governments
with a mandate to manage local issues and plan for the community’s
needs. They are responsible for implementing programs and policies,
setting their own regulations and by-laws, and providing a range of
services – keeping the interests of the local communities at heart.
Managing community infrastructure and assets such as local roads and
bridges, public street lighting, drains, recreation and leisure
facilities, libraries, parks and gardens, community safety and public
amenity can be done efficaciously only in consultation and partnership
with local communities and leaders. Councillors ought to be
broad-minded, liberal and selfless to be able to serve the interests of
their cities and towns.
AAGGSL strongly appeal to the Sri Lanka electorate to identify and
reject candidates who are unsuitable for the role, particularly those
who have been involved in criminal activities. The need is to elect
candidates who can honestly and genuinely contribute to improving
conditions in their local government electorate with knowledge and
enthusiasm.
We further urge all political parties not to give any primacy to central
governance issues such as constitutional reform, national security,
unitary state, etc. that has no relevance whatsoever to the impending
local government elections. The last thing we need is self-centred
politicians muddying the waters by making calculated utterances for
their own gains.
We also appeal to the Election Commission of Sri Lanka to take all necessary measures to ensure a free and fair election.