News
Many local politicians a law unto themselves
This week a local council member accused of sexually abusing a child was jailed, another member was issued a suspended sentence for dismantling a fence and a warrant was issued on another local councillor for indecent behaviour in public. The incidents were among a string of many involving local politicians reported from various parts of the country this week as the number of cases involving local politicians were on the rise.
Beruwala Pradeshiya Sabha member (UPFA), Ratnasiri Kaluperuma was sentenced to 21 years, for three offences to run concurrently, he was found guilty by Kalutara High Court Judge Amal Thilakaratne for sexually abusing an underage girl. The PS member had been accused of committing the crime in July 2004.
The local councillor was also ordered to pay Rs. 600,000 as compensation to the victim and fined Rs 75,000.
The member was already under a suspended sentence for a similar offence in Kandy. Polgahawela PS member (UPFA) H.M. Dissanayaka and eight others were given a one year jail term each, suspended for 10 years, after they were found guilty of forcibly removing a fence on a road leading to a mill in the Kurunegala area.
Kurunegala Chief Magistrate Ravindra Premaratne also fined them Rs 3,000 each.
In Kolonne a Pradeshiya Sabha member was remanded on Wednesday for indecent behaviour in the area. Earlier in the week a local council Chairman in Arachchikattuwa who has been taken into custody on several occasions earlier was arrested for assaulting three persons in the Marawila area. Arachchikattuwa Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman Jagath Samantha was arrested by the Marawila Police for assaulting two bus drivers and a conductor in Mahawewa area in Chilaw last Sunday. He was remanded till November 4. These are among some 100 cases where local council members have been involved in violence, robberies , misuse of power, smuggling of drugs and collecting protection money.
A cross section of politicians expressed their views about the increase of such incidents. Kaduwela Municipal Council Mayor G. H. Buddhadasa, who has been in politics for over 18 years, said that the main reason for the increase in such acts is mainly because the positions are given to those who lack political knowledge.
“These people should understand that they are representing the people and before anything else they have to make sure that their reputation is maintained because once it is blackened there is no way rectifying it,” he said.
Mayor Buddhadasa added that this was the first time that stories of such corruption in PS members are becoming frequent. “I condemn politics like this. These people should be punished. For a person to have a solid political future he should eschew bribery, abuse and neglect of the law and order,” he said.
Expressing his view Western Province Chief Minister Prasanna Ranatunga of the UPFA, of which most of the PS members are convicted of crimes, said that they are in the process of taking action against those who were found guilty.
He said that the party is opening an inquiry on each member who is suspected of a crime. He explained that some of the inquiries are in progress. “One reason for the rise of crime among these members is because they spend a lot to come into power. After coming into power they try to get the money back by getting involved in various unlawful activities. The people who love the country are disregarded while the one who has money emerge,” he said.
Mr. Ranatunga further added that certain amendments should be brought to the Provincial Council Act as the PS members are given powers that are being exploited. He said that it is also up to the public and vote for the right person into such a position because ultimately it is they who are victimized. JVP Propaganda Secretary and Parliamentarian Vijitha Herath said that they take strong action against those who are taking part in illegal activities. “There is zero tolerance to those who do so because as a party we believe in discipline. Even though our members were not convicted for grave acts such as those of the ruling party we have even gone to extent of expelling our members,” he said.
MP Herath said that the main reason that PS members involve in such acts is because they were elected blindly. “After the war all people who were crooks and thieves took part in elections and irrespective of their background people elected them in the name of winning the war,” he said. He further added that the PS members learn from ones who wield greater power. “When they are left unpunished and not even questioned about their behaviour the ones below them automatically take them as role models,” he said adding that the case of Minister Mervyn Silva is a classic example.
Agreeing with him UNP Minister J. A. E. Amaratunga said that irrespective of parties, indiscipline of members is spreading from the senior to the junior politicians. He said that most of the members are involving in unlawful activities and getting away with them.“We can see that happen especially in the Government party members. Those who are selected for these positions are not suitable for them. They don’t have sufficient education and fundamental principles of representing the public,” he said.
He said members of his party who are found guilty of acts against the policy of the party are expelled. “We as a party are very keen on discipline of our members. We see only a minor percentage of them being involved in unlawful activities. However when they are we take strong action against them,” he said.
comments powered by Disqus