UPFA vs. UNP in CMC

Opposition UPFA members of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) are planning to lodge a complaint with the Western Province Chief Minister against the ruling UNP led administration and urge him to take some steps to convert it into a vibrant institution.

They are of the opinion that converting the council into a corporation would be an effective step as long as rights of the elected members are safe guarded.

Opposition spokesman of the CMC Riza Zarook told Daily Mirror that they would urge the Chief Minister Prasanna Ranatunga to take drastic steps on the CMC.

He said any step including converting the council into a corporation would be an effective step as long as the rights of the members are safeguarded as they were the elected representatives of the people. Mr. Zarook charged that the present administration of the council is running it in a dictatorial manner.

He therefore charged that the Municipal ordinance is violated regularly. “We are planning to draw the attention of the Chief Minister to this matter,” he said. Deputy Mayor Titus Perera commenting on the matter said only a handful of opposition MPs are trying to lodge this complaint.

Mr. Perera said that a majority of opposition members were against such a move. He said some of the UPFA members had already informed him that they were against the move as they didn’t have any problem with the present administration.

The Deputy Mayor said that a handful of Opposition Members were out to disrupt the council.

He said the recent grabbing of the Mace was also aimed at disrupting the work of the council. Mr. Perera said that these members have become jokers in the eyes of the people.

They are of the opinion that converting the council into a corporation would be an effective step