The Prime Minister mentioned this while participating in ’Swarna Purawara’ National Award ceremony for appreciating high achievers of productivity among the Local Government Institutions, held at the BMICH on 25.07.2024, which was organized by the Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government.
These awards were given based on the results of the evaluation conducted by the ’Performance Enhancement and Confirmation Tool’ with the aim of enhancing the performance of local government institutions.
The Prime Minister commented at the event that -
"Throughout history, we have inherited an arrangement that could have been a model for the country’s existence and development. The village council system (Gam Sabha) has existed in Anuradhapura for more than fifteen centuries. They worked for the development and security of various fields and people with those arrangements. The water flow of our country was decided many centuries ago. From time to time, the governance in our rural areas was able to maintain the structure created through those water streams without change.
We have established local government as the lowest level of public participation in the governance of our country. Everyone acknowledges the improvement that public participation can bring from city to city or from Pradeshiya Sabha. The local authorities that win these awards have set some examples. This award implies that their local government bodies, not just for participation, but have fulfilled various specific tasks, setting a new example.
We thus respectfully recall the intervention of the local governance, the effort to create new things, the process of adding new things to the ruling. There are many shortcomings. Under the leadership of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, the process of providing financial allocations through the Provincial Councils for the development of the local authorities was not suspended.
Two years ago, we faced an unprecedented financial and economic crisis in our country. Accepting that we had to recover from this crisis, the President created a programme with a new government. There was a time when people would come in front of the gate of your local government body and ask to provide fuel. Now we don’t remember any of them. That most difficult period has been won by the government. We and the world are being taken forward in many fields. Through advancement in technology quick ways of knowledge transfer are created. Therefore, we must prepare to enter a fresh society. The government does not hesitate to provide assistance to all local government bodies to prepare for this.
Japan has helped most local government bodies in Sri Lanka. Ending the period that Japanese aid was suspended, the projects that were started under Japanese assistance will start in local government and other fields. We moved towards it with patience facing challenges. Being able to carry forward the strength and energy provided by the leadership of the government can be considered as a great victory for Sri Lankan democracy..."
State Minister Janaka Wakkumbura commented that -
"There are 341 local government bodies in Sri Lanka. It includes 24 Municipal Councils, 41 Urban Councils and 276 Pradeshiya sabhas. This Swarna Purawara Award is given in appreciation of the efficiency and responsibility of those institutions in directing the special services provided to the people by the local government institutions.
A lot of work is done to keep the city clean through these local authorities. If an organization receives an award, the lowest worker of that organization should also be honoured. During the Covid epidemic, these institutions worked day and night for the people. The officers working in these institutions take the lead in cases of epidemic situations like dengue. Programmes like these should be implemented annually to encourage them. Also, efforts should be made to maintain the rank that was received and institutions that did not win a trophy should make efforts to win an award in the future.."
Governors Roshan Gunathilake, Nasir Ahmed, A.J.M. Musammil, Senthil Thondaman, Deputy Speaker Ajith Rajapaksha, State Ministers Ashoka Priyantha, Sisira Jayakodi, D.B. Herath, Members of Parliament Sarath Weerasekera, Samanpriya Herath, Yadamini Gunawardena, Upul Mahendra Rajapaksha, Sudath Manjula, Secretary to the Prime Minister Anura Dissanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration Pradeep Yasaratne, and many local government officials participated in this event.
Prime Minister’s Media