July 13, Colombo (LNW): Fresh political tensions have emerged within the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) after two opposition members resigned from the Finance Committee, citing irreconcilable differences with Mayor Vraie Cally Balthazaar and members of the ruling administration.
Opposition councillors Roy Bogahawatta and Taranga Shanaka stepped down from the committee, arguing that they could no longer support what they described as unrealistic financial planning and ineffective municipal administration at a time when the city continues to grapple with public health challenges.
Explaining his decision, Bogahawatta said the opposition was unwilling to endorse budget proposals that, in his view, were detached from the Council’s actual financial performance. He questioned the administration’s revenue target of Rs. 28 billion for the year, noting that the CMC had generated only around Rs. 8 billion in income by the end of June.
He also criticised the Council’s response to the ongoing dengue situation, claiming that insufficient action had been taken to address the spread of the mosquito-borne disease across the capital.
Responding to the allegations, Deputy Mayor Hemantha Weerakoon rejected the criticism, accusing the two councillors of placing political interests ahead of their responsibilities to the city’s residents. He said their resignations reflected an unwillingness to contribute constructively to the Council’s work rather than genuine concerns over governance.
Weerakoon further maintained that Colombo’s dengue situation had shown signs of improvement in recent months. According to him, the city’s share of the country’s reported dengue infections has fallen significantly since the beginning of the year, indicating that control measures are producing results.
He added that municipal authorities continue to face challenges in maintaining sanitation standards at public institutions and other State-owned premises, while insisting that waste management and cleanliness programmes in private residential areas have generally been carried out successfully.