Colombo Mayor defeated in no-faith vote

Shirley Wijesinghe

COLOMBO: The no-confidence motion brought against the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) was unanimously passed by the Council yesterday with 21 members voting for the motion.

JVP, SLMC and PPF councillors were among those who were in support of the motion.

The motion which was brought on July 3 as a special proposal signed by three members - Milton Liyanage, Ariyaratna Wedage and Gamini Ramyakumara was in connection with the release of CMC machinery to an outside party against laid down procedure. The machinery was issued for a shramadana campaign in Mattakkuliya.

The Council took up the motion after twice postponing its deliberation previously. Councillor Tony Ramzy displaying a chart at the commencement of the debate pointed out that the seating arrangements of the Council was not in accordance with the seating arrangements as per guidelines of the Provincial Councils and Local Government Ministry. The Councillor wanted the Mayor to postpone the debate.

However, a majority of the Councillors led by Dayakantha Perera opposed such a move and appealed to the Mayor to continue with the debate on the No-Confidence motion.

Another attempt by Ramzy to postpone the debate by asking for a division too failed to materialise because of strong opposition. Councillor Ariyarathne Wedage pointed out that there was a conspiracy to postpone the debate.

Councillor Perera once again strongly opposed any postponement voicing his strong opposition saying that any withdrawal would drastically affect the confidence in the council.

Mayor Mohammed Imitiyaz left at 3.45 p.m. citing medical reasons while handing over the chair to the Deputy Mayor. However the Deputy Mayor was forced to leave the chair amidst chaos.

Councillor Wedage then presided after being proposed to the Chair by Dayakantha Perera, where the vote was taken with the amendments proposed by MC Hemantha Perera too included in the motion.