55% of LG Poll complaints on abuse of State resources: TISL

The Program for the Protection of Public Resources (PPPR), the election monitoring arm of Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL), has been receiving complaints from across the country in the run-up to the local government elections. 

In many instances these complaints relate to the misuse of public property falling under the purview of the central government.  

TISL said 55% of all complaints referred to the PPPR relate to the misuse of fixed and movable assets, human resources and media belonging to the State. A further 15% relate to illegitimate inducements being offered to voters. In response to these complaints, TISL commended authorities, including the Elections Commission of Sri Lanka, for taking swift action in the case of several incidents reported to it by its district observers and members of the public.  

TISL Executive Director Asoka Obeyesekere added: “Due to many local authorities not being constituted for over two years, the political grip on local government authority resources appears to have weakened. However, abuse of central government resources, such as the use of ministerial vehicles at campaigns, continues to prevail.” 

For instance, in the Wehera area in Kurunegala, 20 sewing machines belonging to the Ministry of Industry and Commerce were discovered at the residence of a supporter of a minor political party. The police prevented the distribution of this equipment and placed the sewing machines in the custody of the Kurunegala Divisional Secretariat until after the elections, Obeyesekere said. 

The PPPR’s intervention also resulted in the authorities taking steps to halt interviews for politically motivated manpower recruitment for the Hambantota Port. 

Meanwhile, when the PPPR alerted authorities that a building in Kegalle owned by the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Education Department was being used for election campaign activity by an opposition party, the Police took steps to seal the building. 

The PPPR said it wished to remind public officials that allowing such practices to continue would result in them being held accountable for misusing public property as in the case of the distribution of Sil Redi at the 2015 Presidential Election, which was exposed by the PPPR and led to the conviction of two senior public officials. 

Furthermore, the organisation encouraged the public to continue to report such incidents to its hotlines 071 010 25 70 and 071 135 09 90 or via e-mail to [email protected].