No blackguards as nominees for PC polls, assure parties

With the provincial council elections soon approaching, the three main political parties have vowed that they would not nominate candidates who have been accused or convicted of criminal activities.

Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena said individuals who have been accused or convicted of criminal activities will not be nominated for the upcoming elections and if any have already been nominated they would be withdrawn from the list.

This assurance came in the back drop of many reported cases of political figures allegedly involved in criminal activity, with the majority of them being from the ruling party. When questioned on his views regarding this statement made by the Government, main Opposition party member Ravi Karunanayake said he had no faith in what the Government promises.

“Previously the Government announced that no family members of political parties would be allowed to contest in the election. However the exact opposite has been done. It was just ‘lip service’ to please the public. Likewise I don’t believe the Government will follow through on its promises,” he said.

He said the UNP strives to ensure that its party members are law abiding citizens and that any individual involved or accused of a crime would not be nominated.Likewise JVP, MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that he did not believe the Government would stay true to the statement regarding the nomination of decent election candidates. “We ask the Government to first bring the criminals who are already in power holding esteemed positions in the Government to justice. It has failed to do so and therefore we challenge the Government to hold these elections cleanly and fairly without external interferences.”

He said candidates nominated from the JVP would have clean records.

Criminal activities in the last couple of months by politicians have risen drastically. (Please see

graphic)