The new system will enable voters to ‘catch their elected representatives’ if they fail to deliver the goods, according to comments received in an opinion poll on the local government elections. But respondents were concerned that the doubling of representatives and costs to maintain them, would further burden the public. The poll was conducted on [...]
New electoral system will ensure more accountability
BT-Second Curve Poll: Politicians who came into office wearing Bata slippers now own luxury vehicles, bungalows
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The new system will enable voters to ‘catch their elected representatives’ if they fail to deliver the goods, according to comments received in an opinion poll on the local government elections. But respondents were concerned that the doubling of representatives and costs to maintain them, would further burden the public.
The poll was conducted on email earlier this week (before yesterday’s election) by the Business Times and in Galle and Colombo by polling partner, Second Curve.
Here are comments expressed during the poll:
Galle
The new system will ensure known representatives who can be held accountable.
Cost of living will go up to maintain the additional number of councillors and burden the public.
Provincial councils have no bearing on the public and are costly to maintain. They should be abolished.
All this while rogues were our politicians but the new system will have ‘our’ man to do the job.
Why you use your vote to elect a rogue? People have got fed up with free elections.
Lets drive this administration that protects the culprits, home and elect our own councillors who can work for the ward.
When the village awakens the Government will open its eyes. Hence cast your vote against those who govern.
Why is this colossal expenditure being wasted to elect another batch of culprits? Isn’t the burden on the public already unbearable?
We want honest people in politics. However those elected will turn out to be rogues because all parties have fielded rogues.
If the JVP wins this trend of corruption will cease.
The “boss” has no backbone, only demonstrating with two copies of reports in hand on platforms. Practically nothing has been done.
The Rajapaksa-era robbers have been replaced. History is being repeated.
They came to power to catch the thieves and reduce murder. Now there is bigger scale robbery while murder will be the next phrase. What is the President doing? He is the head of the country but there is no action against rogues of the past.
The previous regime robbed but they left something tangible while the present ones are only robbing.
The JVP must come to power because both these main parties have failed us.
Governing parties are now promising change through the village. They asked for a change in January but did nothing.
These electoral reforms are for the survival of the politicians. This has no relevance to the voters.
The President and the PM are at loggerheads. The President is accusing the PM but doesn’t have the guts to remove him.
The JVP depends on the government. They dine with the rulers and fool the public.
Lets bring independent councillors into office and get rid of the rogues and murderers.
People forget the sacrifice Mahinda did to save the country. Still some cling to the UNP.
This election system will only create white elephants.
PR in the new system will not give power to any party, which is what is needed.
A top advertising executive in our ward is campaigning for the UNP. The Janayugaya newspaper has been bought or is about to being bought from Arjun Aloysius. He is an ally of Rajapaksa while promoting the UNP. These are the deals that prevail in present day politics.
This new election system would only double the number of thieves.
Abolish the PCs. Local bodies are sufficient. Reduce the number of local government representatives.
UNP has a proud history. It has a good future if not for the Ranil faction which has destroyed its image.
Mahinda wants to destroy the SLFP. The scheme to oust Maithripala is a conspiracy tacitly supported by Ranil.
People hate elections. Where are the politicians of the good old days?
Email comments:
The former proportional system is better as it allowed some choice for the voter. Now, the nomination and appointment is all decided by party leaders — that is undemocratic.
Increasing the number of representatives will not improve the quality of service. Most of the newly elected (as usual) will be uneducated, third grade candidates. There will be more thugs. A classic example is the Uva Chief Minister. After going to the home following a 3 ½ hour statement to the Human Rights Commission, he assaulted a Buddhist monk.
Even some candidates are confused by the system.
System is good and looks after smaller parties and minorities.
Increasing the number of councilors will lead to more corruption, fraud, deceit and misappropriation of funds. Demand for luxury vehicles, petrol, secretaries, etc will rise. Who will have to pay for these expenses?
At the beginning of the new parliament, a disgusting motion was passed to increase of MP’s salaries and allowances and approved without any objection, increasing the burden on the state. The same will happen at local level governance.
Governing parties should be defeated. Only way the rulers will open their eyes is if Mahinda wins. Unfortunately we know what he is capable of (in a negative sense).
Support the JVP because they so far did not get a chance to plunder and rob public funds. Most of the 225 MPs and others from various local bodies want to make money. Some of them came into power wearing only Bata slippers. Today they own many luxury vehicles, large blocks of land and massive luxury bungalows.
Colombo
The introduction of the mixed system is positive.
Ward system is not good. It confines people to narrow spaces.
Ward system is useful because representatives need not go to another ward to serve people.
Difficult to predict the results. The media is a negative source in terms of awareness.
Mahinda will win, with the record of cleaning Colombo, providing new markets, finishing the 30-year old war and developing the highway network.
Don’t vote for candidates without basic qualifications.
The ward system is healthy since there is a representative who is answerable to the voters in the ward.
People are at cross roads since it is alleged that the parties have nominated corrupt and misfits.
Colombo cleanliness is again neglected. The previous regime was concerned about this in their governance.
The President is making utterances but doesn’t practice what he preaches.
This becomes a state of anarchy when the Head of State is unaware of the dealings of the government.
The UNP has not brought down interest rates. There is no major development infrastructure proposed or an attempt made to reduce the cost of living in the past three years.
