Advocacy lobby calls for free and fair LG polls, honest candidates

The Australian Advocacy for Good Governance in Sri Lanka Inc. has called for free and fair Local Government Elections and the election of honest candidates. 

The lobby’s President Dr. Lionel Bopage issued the following statement.

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 3,870 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 practising 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 bylaws, 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 appeals 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.

The Australian Advocacy for Good Governance in Sri Lanka Inc committee comprises Wimal Jayakody, Viraj Dissanayake, Sithy Marikkar, Siraj Perera, Shyamon Jayasinghe, Sarath Jayasuriya, Sarath Bandara, Saliya Galappaththi, Ranjith Weerasinghe, Prasad Mohotti, Nalliah Suriyakumaran, Lionel Bopage, Larry Marshal, Lal Perera, Jude Perera, Cyril Gunarathne, Chitra Bopage, Athula Pathinayake, Asoka Athuraliya, Ari Pitipana, Anura Manchanayake, Antony Gratian and Ajith Rajapakse.