Moragoda has realistic election manifesto with public input - Prof. Samarajiwa

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

The manifesto has a realistic approach to everything. Under this manifesto, the CMC will have a responsibility to carry out all relevant functions. The manifesto was kept as a fluid document that was open to input, said Prof. Rohan Samarajiwa, Chairman of the Committee which formulated the election manifesto of United People’s Freedom Alliance Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) Mayoral candidate Milinda Moragoda in an interview with the Daily News.

Following are extracts of the interview:

Q: What is the outline of the UPFA Mayoral candidate’s election manifesto?

A: The manifesto was kept as a fluid document that was open to input. This is a unique feature. Even now it is open for input even though the main revision has been completed. The final document was released on October 4. The manifesto was kept open by two methods. The people expect a firm commitment from the candidate and the 100-day programme was designed for that purpose.

Q: What did the committee take into consideration when formulating it?

A: Municipal issues are quite complex. Therefore, we decided to forward a draft and get the responses from as many people as possible. There was wide consultation from knowledgeable people, former mayors etc even before the draft was formulated. We thought it was very important to get a wide public participation. Public participation was sought out in two ways.

One is by going out and meeting people and interacting with them. We did this. Moragoda met the people himself. We went out and met three-wheel drivers, lottery sellers etc and interacted with them.

They hardly use new media such as Facebook, Twitter etc. On the other hand, many people sent us letters, emails, faxes, telephoned us etc. Hundreds of comments came in through the web site. We enabled people to comment on each paragraph through the web site.

Being open to comments does not mean that all comments will be entertained. For example, some people suggested the use of advanced technology to develop the transport system etc. Such things cannot be done overnight because they require large investments, coordination of other municipalities and involvement of many other institutions. Therefore, we listed such proposals for the future.

The flow of ideas from various individuals and groups made it easy for us to make plans. For example, during a meeting, a proposal was made to provide access facilities for disabled persons.

Another proposal which was forwarded through the web site suggested measures to provide assistance to the elderly. Once the CMC provides access facilities in buildings, both the disabled and elders will receive benefits. Geriatric care is another subject that caught attention.

A comprehensive document can be compiled using different perspectives. Coherence of different components has been assured by open policy making. Everything is inter-connected.

Q: How it is going to help Colombo citizens?

A: The CMC was one of the battlefields of LTTE leader Prabhakaran. He blew up Colombo buildings, terrorized and killed many people. We have to overcome the negative effects of a 30 year war. The CMC needs a lot of resources to rebuild it. This is a unique, transformative period and a window of opportunity. We need to work with all players and build on the excellent foundation put in place by Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. There is no doubt about that.

People lived in fear during the terror period and built many fences around them. People retreated. They did not move out nor carry out any maintenance. Things were neglected.

This is natural during a terror period. The city is totally distorted. It needs to be corrected. Everything included in the manifesto is realistic and reachable. Funds from the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and other international donor agencies are already there. Funds can be easily raised from our own private sector which is excited about the newly beautified Colombo city. Moragoda’s past records have already proven his ability to raise funds and his credibility.

Q: What was lacking in the plans of previous regimes when managing the CMC?

A: Recently, Moragoda received a newspaper article from one of the former Colombo Mayors M. H. Mohhamed. He was the Colombo Mayor in 1962.

The issues listed in the article still exist without changes or solutions. Anybody can identify problems but the real challenge is to identify solutions and have a candidate who can provide solutions. That is the fundamental difference between the past and present. Moragoda is a UPFA Mayoral candidate with a practical manifesto.

Q: The Opposition says it can manage the CMC without funds and that the central government is responsible in planning and assistance. How true is this?

A: There are two types of problems in the CMC. One set of problems can be solved by the CMC itself but other problems cannot be solved by the CMC alone without the assistance of the central government. For example, the collection of garbage can be done by the CMC. But the CMC cannot handle the overall garbage collection process alone.

The garbage ends up outside Colombo. A land of around 200 acres is needed for this purpose and garbage from other municipalities should also be brought to this land to make maximum use of this land. This requires the collaboration of the Western Provincial Council and the Solid Waste Management Authority.

This is how one problem becomes an affair of many levels of administration and many institutions. Some of them come under the purview of the central government.

The manifesto has a realistic approach to everything. A US $ 150 million flood management project is ongoing in Colombo. It comes under the purview of the Defence Ministry. The CMC cannot find these funds. The people of Colombo do not want just talk or explanations. The problems are here and the solutions are out there. The problems need to be solved. That will be done through this manifesto.

Q: How important is the cordial relationship between the CMC and the Central Government?

A: Both the central government and CMC worked together during late President R. Premadasa’s time. Houses were built using UDA funds instead of CMC funds.

The people want an efficient and clean CMC and our manifesto is based on their proposals, demands and requirements. People want to go to the CMC and get their work done without paying money to persons and without waiting for months. They want building plans to be approved within one month. If the CMC does not do it within one month there will be consequences. It is similar to a service contract. The Nuwara Eliya MC has an effective building plan approval system. It is very methodical.

Under this manifesto, the CMC will have a responsibility to carry out all relevant functions. To do this, a lot of work needs to be done but the public is not aware of the work carried out.

This workload is invisible to the public and it is very challenging. But Moragoda and other professionals, from whom he will obtain services, will be able turn the CMC into an organization that offers exemplary service to the public.

A lot of computerization, networking and decentralization will be done to make it easy for the people to get their work done from their own homes and localities without traveling to the CMC. There will be six district offices.