| Why
You Should Vote at the Provincial Council Election
There are those
who claim that the provincial councils are a “white elephant”
and should be abolished. This newspaper disagrees. We urge you to
show your support for the provincial council (PC) system by voting
next Saturday February 14th for the party of your choice and the candidates
of your choice. Here are five reasons why.
1. PCs bring
government closer to the people and strengthens democracy.
2.There are a
large number of issues that are of great concern to people who live
in one province but not in another. Such issues can be addressed more
effectively by Pcs.
3.It is better
for local authorities to be under the PCs than under Colombo because
PCs are more aware of the local problems than a minister and bureaucracy
that operate from Colombo.
4.There is evidence
to suggest that Sri Lanka's development was even more lop sided favouring
Colombo before PCs were established. PCs are more sensitive to rural
and regional needs.
5.Even though
the LTTE is about to be defeated militarily Sri Lanka needs some form
of devolution to find a lasting political solution to the ethnic problem
and the PCs are the minimum that the Tamil people may be persuaded
accept.
We are aware
that PCs are far from perfect. But we should also be aware that the
Central Government in Colombo both major parties, UNP and PA are guilty
of this - has never made a genuine commitment to make PCs functions
properly. They have been denied substantive taxation powers to raise
revenue. The Treasury unilaterally cuts the PC grant whenever it wishes.
Colombo arbitrarily takes over functions and institutions such as
schools and hospitals that rightfully belong to the PCs. Police powers
have not been given to PCs as envisaged in the 13th amendment.
For
sure the PCs themselves are partly at fault for not fighting more
vigorously for their rights. But that is something the party and the
members that you vote for must take care of. That is why you elect
them in the first instance.
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