Probe allegations against CMC impartially - JVP

Rasika Somarathna

COLOMBO: Condemning the Government's decision to appoint a Competent Authority to the CMC, the JVP yesterday, charged that this was an attempt to suppress the Democratic Rights of the people through the abuse of Emergency regulations.

While acknowledging that there were numerous allegations regarding corruption and malpractices in the CMC, JVP parliamentarian Sunil Handunetti alleged that the correct move should be to probe the allegations impartially and bring the culprits to book without resorting to Emergency Regulations.

Describing the CMC as the heart of the Municipal Councils in Sri Lanka, Handunetti said that the attempt behind the move was to take control of the strategically important locations in the city.

The JVP MP alleging that the Emergency Regulations should not be used for political mileage, said the Government had no right to throw out a democratically elected body. The JVP also warned that if the Government is going to go ahead with the decision it would have to face serious consequences.

Hadunnetti said that the JVP would give it's fullest support to probe the corruption charges if the Government takes steps to do it instead of appointing a competent authority.

The MP alleging that there was an ongoing investigation by the Western Provincial Council said that the JVP MPs in the Council had taken steps to inform the authorities regarding corruption charges.

The JVP asserted that instead of resorting to a wrong move to correct another flawed move, the Government should look into the possibility of streamlining the CMC Governance through democratic means.

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Motion in CMC against Government's decision

Shirley Wijesinghe

COLOMBO: A motion against the Government's decision to suspend the Colombo Municipal Council and appoint a Competent Authority to the Council was tabled and seconded by JVP yesterday with the support of a majority of Councillors.

Raising the motion the JVP Councillor Hemantha Kumara claimed that the proposed decision was an attempt to suppress the people's democratic right through the abuse of Emergency Regulations.

UPFA Councillor Tony Ramzy making an objection against the motion stressed that the way of raising it clearly violated the CMC bylaws and the Councillor has no right to draw the motion while proceeding the scheduled agenda.

Ramzy said no motion can be submitted while conducting the proceedings of agenda even as a special proposal signed by three councillors.

"I did not think of such a violation of bylaws by a JVP Councillor," Ramzy added.

Dayakantha said the Councillors needed more time to serve its ratepayers. "We could not complete the repair of a canal of the City. Nothing was done for them as they promised at the Local Government election."