The Hon. M.S. Uthumalebbe

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, this Ministry is advancing administration effectively. While some newly appointed Ministers may lack experience, there are Ministers who listen to all views and proceed democratically. I thank our Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government, the Secretary, and officers for their good work.

¶ 02 Many representatives spoke today about the provincial council system. It was established particularly with the North and East in mind; powers were provided to all nine PCs, enabling them to serve people beyond what Parliament does. Unfortunately, some powers were taken back to Parliament, and PC elections have not been held for a long time. Everyone wants powers to serve the people. Therefore, please make arrangements to conduct PC elections and empower them.

¶ 03 In the North and East, the Muslim and Tamil parties and leaders have raised major issues—Kalmunai North DS in Ampara, Koralaipattu issues in Batticaloa, and in Trincomalee the need to upgrade sub-divisional secretariats to full DS divisions. There are land and boundary issues. To resolve them, Tamil-speaking Muslims and Tamils are holding dialogues together. We have clearly said we will not sow communalism among Tamils or Muslims just to win elections. We are working to resolve community-level issues by bringing community representatives and intellectuals together.

¶ 04 I must also acknowledge a positive: this Government has reduced ethnic tensions—where once it was 90%, it is now perhaps 50–60% less. For 30 years, due to the war, we were denied freedoms—even to contest elections—and people were killed like dogs. Today, all three communities have issues—Sinhala, Tamil, and Muslim—especially boundary issues. As the Ministry responsible for Public Administration, Provincial Councils, and Local Government, kindly address these issues of all three communities, respecting all communities’ feelings and finding solutions.

¶ 05 Regarding Sainthamaruthu: people were promised a local authority for years. Then-Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, before coming to power, said at an event in Kalmunai, at Santhangeni playground, that he would grant a Sainthamaruthu local authority if he came to power; he failed to fulfill it. During President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s tenure, a Gazette was issued to create a municipal council for that area. Later, when President Gotabaya’s Government came, the Gazette was cancelled. Thus, people are still deprived of the Sainthamaruthu local authority they deserve. I request the Hon. Minister to intervene and resolve this.

¶ 06 On DCC meetings at divisional level: your Ministry’s circular says such meetings should be held within two and a half to three hours. But recently in Sammanthurai, Addalaichchenai, Karaitivu, Nintavur, Pottuvil, Akkaraipattu, etc., DCC meetings lasted 4–5 hours, sometimes starting at 9.00 a.m. and ending around 3.15–4.00 p.m. Heads of departments could not even eat. As a former Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman and twice a Provincial Minister, now an MP, I have attended many DCCs. Heads of department have asked me to raise this. Please ensure DCCs adhere to the prescribed duration.

¶ 07 Also, one MP brings ten people to a DCC, and they interrupt speakers for over an hour. This contravenes your circular. Either allow us too to bring many, or enforce the rule: an MP may be accompanied only by a secretary or one representative. Ten people interrupting demeans the Ministry’s process. Divisional Secretaries ask us to raise this. Please control this and set time limits for DCCs. If you do not, I will complain to the President. Thank you. Wassalam.