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from P. Rajaratnam in Nuwara Eliya

Addressing the All Island Municipal Commissioners Conference, held at Nuwara Eliya Deputy Minister of Plantation Industries, Navin Dissanayake exhorted the Local Government Heads manning the country's Municipal Councils to have a close collaboration, understanding and consensus with the elected bodies, and work for the sustenance of the ratepayers and the general public of the respective councils.

He said it was the cardinal requirement of both the elected bodies irrespective of their political party affiliations and the Municipal Commissioners to deliver the goods, and it was the present government's and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's duty to ensure that the Heads of Local Bodies, namely the Municipal Commissioners were given their due place and recognition to enable them to work smoothly and efficiently in their given tasks.

He said his government has taken measures to send the Municipal Commissioners abroad for further training in countries like India, Israel, Bangladesh and others, so they could get training in advanced management strategies. For this purpose there are donor countries willing to offer such opportunities for these officers.

The Deputy Minister said policy plans of the councils should be implemented as quick as possible in the interest of the public and the ratepayers. He said any shortcomings with regard to the utility services of the public will not only cause hardships to them, but also bring discredit to the very government in power, in addition to the soaring cost of living among them.

At the inaugural sessions, except for Jaffna, Anuradhapura, and Colombo Municipal Commissioners, the other twelve commissioners were present, including members of the Nuwara Eliya Municipal Council, the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Nuwara Eliya.

Mayor of Nuwara Eliya Chandana Karunaratne welcomed the participants to Nuwara Eliya and wished them all the best in their deliberations.

Municipal Commissioner for Dehiwela Galkissa W. Gunawardene, was elected as chairman of the steering committee, said that it was unfortunate that those who did not belong to the Local Government Administrative Service have been serving as Municipal Commissioners. He said that those serving as Municipal Commissioners do not rest on with their eight hours work, but like politicians they were compelled to look after the day to day needs of the public. He said he fully agreed with Deputy Minister Dissanayake that both the elected bodies of the respective Municipal Councils and themselves have to work closely and ensure the city and its ratepayers were benefited to the maximum.

The Commissioners' conference unanimously decided to submit a memorandum to the government, enlisting and elaborating the various matters, which need immediate clarifications and implementation.

Municipal Commissioner for Nuwara Eliya D. M. C. Dissanayake proposed the vote of thanks.

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