United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) Colombo Mayoral candidate Milinda Moragoda launched his policy platform at the Mahaweli Centre Auditorium yesterday (Sep 5).

Entitled ‘Making Colombo a Centre of Excellence’, the policy platform promises to restore efficiency, transparency and accountability at the Colombo Municipal Council and to restore the stature of the city and dignity of its citizens.

A ‘12-point 100 day programme’ will be initiated as an initial step in this endeavour, said Mayoral candidate Moragoda at the launch.

He called the policy platform an evolving task and an incomplete document which is only the starting point. He invited the public for input of ideas, comments and suggestions via telephone and social media networks such as Twitter and Facebook.

He added that the feedback from the public will be incorporated into a revised document that would be issued prior to the election.

Moragoda further stated that though the Colombo Municipal Council was second in stature only to Parliament, its administration had collapsed. Inefficiency seemed to be another defining character, he added.

The Mayoral candidate requested the voters to move beyond politics and to cast their vote based on whether the candidate has the ability to develop Colombo to its full potential.

He also stated that under the policy platform the front office functions of the CMC will be relocated at six district offices while back office functions will be moved out from Town Hall to where employees live in the city, all connected through a wide area network.

He added that no citizen will be relocated outside metropolitan Colombo and 35,000 housing units would be built within city limits in the next three years to provide decent housing to those currently living in shanties.

The policy platform said well maintained pavements and pedestrian crossings are required by vehicular traffic also promises an attractive circulatory bus service with simplified fares.

Young people between 18-28 are promised to be provided with a comprehensive program to help them establish livelihoods that will include financial and technical assistance necessary for employment opportunities. Job fairs will be organized in cooperation with the private sector.

Thus, Colombo will be transformed in to a exemplary city, Moragoda said.
The event was attended by UPFA General Secretary and Minister of Petroleum Resources Susil Premajayantha, Minister of Youth Affairs Dullas Alahapperuma, Deputy Ministers Faizer Mustapha, Laxman Yapa Abeywardena and Prof. Rohan Samarajiva.