By: Kalpana Ambepitiya, Sri Lanka Green Alliance
Sri Lanka’s Southern and Western provincial council elections were held on 29 March 2014. According to the United People’s Freedom Alliance announcement, the elections were peaceful and showed that the Alliance remains the leading party.
The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) received 818 complaints however during the period 1 June 2013 to 30 April 2014. The highest number of complaints (167) are against persons employed in the education sector who were officially assigned on election duties. There are also complaints against 30 rural council officials, 13 Urban Council officials 85 policemen and 65 officials attached to District Secretariats.
This election campaign has a lot of room for improvement including, paper and ink wastage as politicians spent quite a lot of money on campaigns without thinking of the environmental effects. Candidates also used manipulative practices to attract votes, such as distributing meal packets, drinks, Rs.1000 and empty promises to attract the votes of poor people. Another bad trend is the children of parents in elected office are receiving chances to elect easily. Sometimes such candidates have never been in the crowd and do not represent the grassroots youth, therefore they do not know the issues and needs of the country. Media had reported that some Minister fathers used ministry’s resources (vehicles) to campaign for their sons.
It’s this author’s conclusion that a country should elect educated and wise people to the government because they reflect the growth of the country. One thing is for sure that the way of the country is going in election will create more unwanted problems very soon.
03/29/2014 – 00:00