Having made LG polls disappear, govt. plans association of ex-members

Amidst continuing accusations that the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government indefinitely put off Local Government polls as it feared to face the electorate, Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Council and Local Government Ministry has announced plans to set up a bipartisan association of former LG members on 27 May.

The event at the Maharagama Youth Centre auditorium is scheduled to begin at 9 am next Monday with the participation of Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, State Minister Janaka Wakkumbura, MP Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle (SLPP) and MP Rohini Kumari Wijeratne (SJB).

Political sources questioned the rationale in forming an association of ex-members against the backdrop of the government’s refusal to conduct Local Government polls which should have been conducted by March last year. Sources said that the current dispensation was the only one in the world that put off Local Government polls claiming it didn’t have sufficient funds.

The last Local Government polls were held in the second week of February 2018 (SF)