Sad spectacle of the CMC mess

As a ratepayer of Colombo city, I was shocked to read in the newspapers that the CMC is to be suspended anytime after September 20 and the present Municipal Commissioner is to be vested with the powers of the council as a Special Commissioner.

During the past 1½ years, an incompetent (Spectacle) group has been running the affairs of the council. This was because the United National Party, disqualified by the Elections Commissioner for having presented an incomplete Nomination List, misled the people to cast their valuable vote to the Spectacle Group.

Your newspaper has time and again pointed out the wrongdoings of the council and the commissioner. After CMC opposition leader Vasudeva Nanayakkara brought these misdeeds and wrongdoings to the notice of the Chief Minister, the Governor and the President, a one-man commission was appointed to probe the allegations.

As the commission is expected to complete the inquiry and submit the report within 90 days there is no reason to suspend the council and vest the powers with the incumbent Municipal Commissioner who himself faces allegations of corruption and mismanagement.

The President should await the report of the commission before taking action to suspend the council or appoint a ministerial sub-committee to oversee the council.

On the findings of the commission, the Governor and the Chief Minister could advise the President on a course of action to bring about good governance in the city council.

By J.M. Farook, Colombo 9.