Achieve objective of Local Govt. Machinery through a simple Election process

At the outset we as sovereign voters exhort that all Politicians and the people with the ‘Country at heart’ must realize and agree that the objective of holding Local Govt.(LG) elections is not to test the popularity or unpopularity of their party but to elect genuine, acceptable and uncorrupt individuals who can serve their Grama Niladhari Division (GND) in each District Secretary Division (DSD) as impartial facilitators for solving problems of people in the locality mainly relating to Public services, Local Police and the Judicial services in addition to facilitating the total development of the area in collaboration with the Local Govt. and recognized Non -Govt. bodies. Citizens and rate payers are now fed up with the present Local Govt. Administration where political bias, corruption, arrogance and self-aggrandizement are the main hall marks. As a result, barring a few vociferous political ‘henchaiyaas‘, the general citizenry is least interested in having a ‘politicized’ Local Govt. Administration and Elections. A telltale sign is that despite the absence of LG politicians, the LG officials are now performing their duties to the public quite diligently and without many complaints as a host of public servants are attached to each DSD as Development, Field, Technical and supervisory Officers.   

The sad irony is, when the so called ‘Sovereign voters’ ask for a ‘system change’ or rationalization of the existing Political machinery to cut down corruption, wastage, costs and improve productivity, the politicians simply ignore the voice of the people and engage in proliferation of their political Industry which is corrupt to the core. Our next concern is, how can the tax/Rate-payer afford to sustain this bulging, unproductive political fraternity produced by an erratic Election process costing billions of their hard earned money? In a scenario where the country is struggling to come out from a dire economic abyss, this unproductive Election will surely add insult to injury! Moreover, this surely is not the the time for MPs to catch ‘Election fever’ and forget the burning problems of the people. However, it is high time that global financiers like IMF and the World Bank who insist on reducing the numbers in our Public service while increasing taxes, also emphasize on reducing unproductive numbers in our Political administration system.   

We look upon the Hon. President and the Authorities to exercise their political will and effect grass root level ‘System changes’ before LG elections, and replace this harmful system of ‘Confrontational’ politics which is the bane of our country, with a simple people based local Govt. system

People have already taken to streets protesting against sweeping increases in the Taxes as stipulated by the IMF. The country is bleeding, unable to bear the colossal debt burden both local and foreign. In the melee, the politicians are hell-bent on increasing their lot eventually hoping to qualify for Duty Free, luxury, Vehicles, Pension , personal staff and numerous other perks and allowances at the expense of the Tax-Payer! This is the home truth for the peaceful ‘Aragalaya’ to upstage their slogan ‘Ditch the 225’! In such a scenario, the desperate tax-payers/Sovereign voters genuinely interested in the development of the Country, await a ‘System change’ where LG bodies inter alia become nurseries for future ‘Political Professionals’ and not breeding grounds for ‘Corrupt politicians’!   

‘System changes’ at grass root level to remove root causes of our failures.We look upon the Hon. President and the Authorities to exercise their political will and effect grass root level ‘System changes’ before LG elections, and replace this harmful system of ‘Confrontational’ politics which is the bane of our country, with a simple people based local Govt. system as follows.   

1) Since the Hon. President has already given his assent to go ahead with the NMSJ proposal to establish people based non-political ‘Jana sabhas’ (JS) at GND level, de-politicize local Govt. elections forthwith.   

2) At the next LG election allow each JS to nominate 3 (01 Male, 01 Female and 01 youth (below 35 years of age) honest, impartial and socially acceptable candidates with high integrity residing in the GND, so that the one garnering the highest no. of votes at each GND level will become the JS representative/facilitator taking up their recommendations/issues with LG authorities at DSD level.   

3) To avoid unnecessary administrative bottlenecks, each District Secretary shall be empowered to conduct the Election in his/her DSD in the presence of polling agents from the JS of the area.   

4) The Office bearers at ‘Pradeshiya Sabha’, Urban and Municipal council level can be elected by JS members by vote.5) The 14,000 JS Representatives will surely make the LG machinery more meaningful and effective than the existing politically biased and corrupt LG system. They may be paid a monthly allowance that ensures a lesser total outlay compared to that of the existing Politicized members.   

6) These facilitators will eventually graduate as proven Provincial Councilors and MPs by becoming members of political parties of their choice with ‘Country first’ attitude.   

7) Since, the next Delimitation exercise will take a long time, we suggest that the existing boundaries be considered for the next LG Election.   

In our view, election to upper levels, viz. Provincial Councils (PC) and National Parliament should be held purely on ‘% Representation’ basis sans the optional ‘Preference Voting ‘mechanism, enabling all voters in North, South, West and East to vote for only the party of their choice as Sri Lankans carrying a ballot paper of ‘equal value ‘untainted by Race, Caste or Religion. We can then call ours a unified Country where Sri Lankans are its citizens.   
A further step to constitute a ‘Permanent National Cabinet’ also on % basis will make our country, a model ‘Five-Star’ democracy!   

To fast track the process, we propose that the Legal draftsman be empowered to play the role of an Architect too, to design and execute the above expectations of the sovereign voters who are the main stake holders.   

We are aware that abolition of ‘Executive Presidency’ will require a Referendum.   

Last but not the least the writer wishes to appreciate and congratulate the NMSJ for their rational and timely proposal towards depoliticization of the LG machinery through ‘Jana-sabhas’ in line with ‘Grama Rajya’ concept.