Commonwealth LG symposium begins today

Ridma DISSANAYAKE

The high level Commonwealth symposium on Local Government will commence today at the Hotel Galadari under the patronage of Local Government Minister A.L.M. Athaullah.

Ministers, senior officials, mayors and other high level Local Government representatives from across Asia are to participate in this symposium. This regional symposium is being organized by the Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGE) and the Commonwealth Secretariat in association with the Local Government Ministry, the Federation of Sri Lankan Local Authorities and with support of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

This symposium is to be held under the theme of “Promoting inter-governmental relations and sharing of good practices policies on local government.

According to the Local Government Ministry Secretary Dr.Nahal Jayathilake this event will review policy challenges in promoting good inter-governmental relations between central/federal, state/provincial and local government. They are to identify strategies to strengthen the local government capacity to deliver pro-poor economic development and inclusive services and they also to establish regional mechanisms for sharing good practice at this symposium.

CLGF Secretary-General Carl Wright said that this symposium will be the first major Commonwealth event in Sri Lanka in the run-up to the 2013 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and it will provide a valuable opportunity to review Commonwealth core political values in respect of the principles of local democracy and good governance in South Asia.

“The High Level Commonwealth Symposium will be an occasion for senior local government policy makers from across Asia to meet and see how they can take forward the mandate given by Commonwealth Heads of government to support and upload the role and place of local government in promoting strategies for sustainable development and economic growth ”,Wright further said.

Twenty eight Sri Lankan representatives including Jaffna GA,Batticaloa GA and Akkaraipattu GA are to participate in to this symposium and they will receive the opportunity to having answers to their problems which they have to face when they governing their areas and institutions. Water Supply and Drainage Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, representatives from Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Malaysia and Pakistan will also address this symposium.