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Thursday, 20 October 2011

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Colombo's development issues

The solitary win for the UNP at the Colombo Municipal Council at the recent last phase of the Local Government poll, raises some uncomfortable posers for it, although the tendency among some of its supporters is to see it as an important consolation prize of some sort.

As some ministers have already pointed out, the UNP's solitary triumph at the CMC has been a somewhat pyrrhic one, because its overall vote in Colombo has declined from the last occasion it contested the CMC on its own steam. Besides, there has been a vote decline for the UNP in some polling divisions which have been looked upon as its strongholds.

Therefore, a closer look at the Colombo poll would reveal some troubling posers for the UNP and an indepth exploration of the causes for these should prove very thought provoking for the more perceptive observer. Right away, it must be said that the UNP followed a flawed polls strategy of playing on the fears of the economic underclass in the city, that they would be relocated at the cost of housing, jobs, schooling and other essentials, if the UPFA was voted in. The presumption behind this strategy was that the disadvantaged in Colombo were quite complacent with their lot and should be left 'undisturbed'. In short, poverty and squalor should be allowed to perpetuate themselves at the expense of development. It is such fatalistic thinking which has prevented sections of Colombo from climbing out of their crippling circumstances, over the years.

In contrast, the government has adopted a forward-thinking strategy in Colombo and outside and this accounts for the UPFA winning four-fifths of the country's Local Government institutions. A couple of days back we reported on the plans of the Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities Ministry to not only provide better housing for those residing in Colombo's underserved areas, but also of its efforts in generating suitable livelihoods for the youth of these areas, through micro-finance programmes and related projects which would positively affect lives. Besides, there is a welcome state emphasis on the eradication of those seemingly perpetual blights, such as, hard drug abuse, alcoholism and criminality.

All such positive measures should be warmly welcomed and we urge the state to go right ahead with these projects which would positively impact in a huge way, the lives of ordinary people. The authorities could derive added enthusiasm for these ventures through President Rajapaksa's recent pronouncement that the state would remain committed to Colombo's development.

Colombo's in-coming mayor M. J. M. Muzzamil is on record that he favours cooperation with the government and this too should be considered a positive development. We believe that the issue of development is far too important a question to be sacrificed on the altar of petty politics and urge the relevant parties to arrive at a consensus over how the progress of Colombo could be proceeded with.

On a deeper analysis, it could be found that development should be ushered in a holistic manner. While infrastructure development is vitally important, people could never be left out of the development picture. Employment generation and livelihood development would have the effect of increasing prosperity among the disadvantaged, and this would have the overall effect of bringing about equitable growth. It is when all this and more happens that crime could be curtailed and social peace ushered to a degree.

Needless to say, when development in the truest sense of the word is made a reality, there would be greater upward social mobility and the latter could result in a citizenry which is not only literate and enlightened but more caring of its social and physical environment.

Now that the UPFA has been voted into power in almost the totality of the Local Government bodies, we urge that equitable development be given pride of place in all these LG areas. We call for holistic development.

Language, economic development and social cohesion

In theory English continued as a compulsory second language, with no requirement that Sinhalese students should learn Tamil and Tamil students Sinhala. Doubtless decision makers such as Jayewardene thought that the different communities could communicate with each other in English. But, given the hostility to English, given the absence as he knew well of competent English speakers to become teachers, given the failure to make it compulsory to pass in English at any public examination, English was naturally neglected in many schools,

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Why respect cannot be demanded but earned...

We live in a society that demands a lot of things. It seeks recognition when recognition is not due and respect when respect is something to be earned and not demanded. Many forget that respect for an individual, an institution or a group of people is built over a period of time and is forged on mutual understanding.

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Hector Kobbekaduwa’s 28th death anniversary fell on September 18:

A politician with high qualities and principles

The gigantic and historical exercise of implementing the Land Reform Law and taking over vast areas/thousands of acres of cultivated lands owned by individuals and public/private companies throughout the island within a stipulated time was really an undeclared war. To win the war an astute general was needed to command the troupe and give the correct leadership. Kobbekaduwa as the minister himself came to the war front, cleared the road and provided the required efficient leadership without an iota of doubt,

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