Thumbs-up for UPFA policies

THE remarkable victory scored by the SLFP-led United People's Freedom Alliance at the just-concluded Local Government polls is proof that, once again, Mahinda Chinthana has been wholeheartedly endorsed by the people.

The Chinthana, obviously, has captured the imagination of the people, as perhaps no other development ideology of recent times, and this accounts for the UPFA's massive electoral success.

If examined closely, it could be seen that Mahinda Chinthana espouses people - centred development.

In the Lankan context, this visualizes an enhancement of the political and economic power of our villages, wherein the majority of Lankans move, live and have their being.

In other words, Mahinda Chinthana holds out the promise of reversing the process described in the somewhat threadbare but yet relevant 'Kolombata Kiri apate Kekiri' slogan.

Rather than have 'Kiri' or the 'milk' of the development exercise for only our urban areas and the metropolis, the ideology of the Mahinda Rajapakse administration aims at ensuring that both, the towns and villages, partake of the 'Kiri'. In other words, balanced rather than lop-sided development.

What is significant to note is that the people do not desire that development be centered on this or that ethnic group or region. An analytical glance at the Local Government election results proves this.

For, it is quite obvious that those political parties seen as espousing the interests of specific cultural groups have been rejected by particularly the Southern people.

No doubt, this augurs well for the future and the peace process. For, if we are to make some headway in resolving the conflict, the country's communities need to accept each other as people of one country, always able and willing to give peaceful co-existence a try.

Specifically, President Rajapakse's approach to resolving the conflict has been endorsed by the majority of the people.

They prefer an all party approach which is transparent, open and accountable, rather than one that is secretive, opaque and non-inclusive of the relevant sections of the polity.

Thus, the Government could consider itself as having received a fresh mandate by the people to work towards a just and honourable peace.

However, the Local Government institutions which have been voted into office should not forget the principal fact that issues in their neighbourhoods or at the local level would be their main focus.

Hopefully, we will see empowered and developed villages, settlements and neighbourhoods which would be leading a life of self-reliance and self-sufficiency.

We need to remind these Local Government bodies that development is not synonymous with consumerism and opulence. Development is mainly the fulfilment of the people's essential needs on an equal and sustainable basis.

Grocery stores and shops filled with imported goods and the consumption of junk food by the people, instead of locally-produced, inexpensive grains and pulses, do not add up to development.

Rather, development is the meeting of the people's requirements in an environment-friendly fashion through the mobilization of mainly local resources. May these be the guiding considerations of our Local Government bodies.

Besides, these bodies must see an end to the malaises which have been crippling local life over the years, such as, environment pollution, mounting garbage dumps, overcrowded city centres and clogged drains. Hopefully these worries will be things of the past.