Serving themselves

The ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) has made arrangements to field a large number of relatives of Cabinet Ministers and their deputies for the upcoming provincial council

elections, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) charged yesterday.

JVP Propaganda Secretary Vijitha Herath told a news conference that there was virtual family rule at the top layer of government today and Cabinet Ministers were using it as an example to field their relatives for elections to provincial councils and local authorities.

Mr. Herath said Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne has nominated his son to contest this election while Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage has fielded both his brother and brother-in-law for the elections to the Central Provincial Council from the Kandy district.

Among others contesting this election on the UPFA ticket, are Land Minister Janaka Bandara Tennakoon’s son, Public Recreation Minister Jayaratne Herath’s son, controversial provincial councillor Ananda Sarath Kumara’s nephew, Indigenous Medicine Minister Salinda Dissanayake’s wife and Trade Minister Johnston Fernando’s son.

Mr. Herath said voters should be encouraged to vote for political parties and contestants with principles rather than considering their relationship to government ministers. He said the JVP would field only graduates as team leaders of the five electoral districts in the North Western and Central Provinces.