Think twice before you vote! 

The town councils, provincial councils and mega town councils hold major importance and are closer to the people than other political institutions that wield authority. Especially our citizens involved in policy making directly interfere with the activities of theses political institutions. These institutions provide many services to the country’s citizens. Some of these services are supplying water, constructing roads, maintaining playgrounds, administrating primary schools, clearing of garbage apart form collecting tax. These institutes also protect and maintain the environment. 

Have the Government authorities done their job here ?

 
2017-12-15

But sadly there have been occasions when the local authorities have avoided their duties. There have also been occasions when these institutes have failed to provide solutions to pollution. Most of these irregularities are linked to people with inadequate educational qualifications assigned to certain posts. 
We need politicians who can spend their own money on election campaigns. 

We must also have a close watch over politicians who become rich overnight. We must check whether they have fulfilled their obligations towards the people. We must watch out for candidates at elections who have track records of being associated with the underworld and have been accused of being cheats. 

There have also been occasions when these institutes have failed to provide solutions to pollution. Most of these irregularities are linked to people with inadequate educational qualifications assigned to certain posts

People who want to be in office must be answerable to the people. They should protect national assets. They must treat people impartially without considering political affiliations and race. They should have track records of having worked in a proper manner. They should have been honest. It’s only then that we can think of them as our true representatives and vote for them. 

We must elect people who have an overall vision. They must not restrict their vision to the province and must think of the country as a whole. It is then only that they can be considered as our real representatives. We should only vote for such people to hold office. 

By G .H. Vishwajith Fernando 
Eastern University —Trincomalee campus