Vraie Cally Balthazaar elected Colombo Mayor

16 June 2025 11:33 am Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 65 Bookmark

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Vraie Cally Balthazaar of the National People’s Power (NPP) has been elected as the new Mayor of the Colombo Municipal Council following a secret ballot held this morning.

She secured 61 votes, while the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) mayoral candidate Riza Zarook received 54 votes.

The newly elected Colombo Municipal Council convened for its inaugural session this morning following the Local Government (LG) elections held on May 6.

The election of the Mayor was scheduled as the first item on the agenda.

As no party had secured an outright majority at the election, a secret vote was held to elect the Mayor.

Comments - 65

Amaran Monday, 16 June 2025 11:38 AM

CONGRATULATIONS. Please do a good job to uplift the IMAGE OF COLOMBO

16 145

Mizaru Monday, 16 June 2025 11:41 AM

Anura all the way, cheers!

28 126

Anthony Monday, 16 June 2025 11:42 AM

Congratulations, keep politics a side and do your job in an Independant manner in developing and upgrading Colombo.

13 121

maha Monday, 16 June 2025 11:43 AM

Congratulation NPP !

21 104

Herman Perera Monday, 16 June 2025 11:44 AM

Congratulations.

19 96

US Monday, 16 June 2025 11:44 AM

Congratulations. I really hope the NPP will develop Colombo with great vision. I especially hope to see development without corruption and unnecessary expenditures.

13 102

Observer Monday, 16 June 2025 12:48 PM

It was indeed not surprising that the SJB nominee was in the previous CMC and has had a contract and defaulted. A complaint was filed on Monday (03) by Pradeep Charles, identified as a convenor of the civil society group 'Aragalaye Niyamuwo'. The submission includes an audit report linked to alleged large-scale financial mismanagement within the CMC where he was involved.

2 18

Concerned Citizen Monday, 16 June 2025 11:44 AM

CMC saved from the filthy corrupted lot all getting together ! Great historical day for Colombo !

14 119

Practical Citizen Monday, 16 June 2025 11:46 AM

It proves SajithP can't lead the opposition instead weakning.

6 102

Priyan66 Monday, 16 June 2025 11:48 AM

Congratulation lady !. We need a corrupt free CMC and upgrade the service level to citizens

10 91

Ram P Monday, 16 June 2025 11:49 AM

Many were aggrieved about the secret ballot. It is democracy when we elected our representatives by secret ballot at the relevant elections. Then they electing their leader too must be secret ballot. Congratulations to Mayor Balthazaar. Hope you will do a good job

12 89

gamini Monday, 16 June 2025 11:57 AM

Hope this change of leadership will see something new for Colombo as CMC has been run by the same party all the time and is ABSOLUTELEY corrupted

4 58

Aquarius Monday, 16 June 2025 11:58 AM

This was a UNP stronghold for decades and corruption was part of that history. Time to have a Clean Colombo and crush all mafias operating from within the CMC.

7 62

Suggest to introduce the Australian System to collect the parking fees without giving roo. To pilfer Monday, 16 June 2025 12:01 PM

Collecting parking fees, pls withdraw from the agents, instead use method which is in practice in Australia. Install pressure plates electronically connected to main system, parking fee machines and palm held electronic devices. Study the system immediately. AUSTRALIA mt suggestion. (Rosy Senanayake challenged our President no need government money but CMC can give money to government in Billions) Use the money, introduce the system and let the money goes directly to CMC, not to any agents who swallow. Moreover most of the parking attendants don't issue the tickets but pocket the money. There are honest attendants but they are few.

1 65

saman Monday, 16 June 2025 01:27 PM

There are even attendants collecting money on roads which are not authorized for any parking fees. Goes in to the pockets of those fake collectors, who probably are authorized collectors on certain roads, and are doing a "private" after working hours shift at roads that are patronized for take aways

0 10

Rate Payer Monday, 16 June 2025 01:52 PM

Use the money only if anything left by her. But as in Australia installing pressure plates electronically connected to main system, parking fee machines and palm held electronic devices is asking a lot. Hope Australia will give aid and some of our paid drivers will be IT literate.

0 6

AMETER SYSTEM IS A WAY TO ENSURE NO CORRUPTION AND CMC GET THE MONEY TOWARDS FACILITIES REQURED BY THOSE LIVING IN THE AREA THEIR CMC OPERATES. Monday, 16 June 2025 02:19 PM

EXCELLENT IDEA, BE IT AUSTRALIA AND OR ANY DEVELPOED COUNTRY, RATHER THAN HAVE AGENTS THAT FEATHER THEIR NEST AND PARKING ATTENDANTS THAT STRAT A LOW LEVEL OF CORRUPTION. THE GOVT MUST PUT IN A SYSTEM TO ENSURE THAT ALL MONIES GO TO THE CMC, SO THEY COULD USE THE MONEY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PEOPLE LIVING IN THE AREAS THEY SERVE. METER SYSTEM IS THE BEST AND THE TICKET IS PUT ON THE DASHBOARD SO WHEN THE CHECKERS COME IF NO TICKET A FINE IS PLACED ON THE WINDSCREEN WIPER AND IF NOT PAID, IT GOES TO COURT. MONEY INVESTED ON THIS SYSTEM IS WELL WORTH IT ON THE LONG RUN AND HELPS WIPE OUT CORRUPTION AND MIDDLEMAN.

0 4

Look At Other Efficient Solutions Around The Developed World Monday, 16 June 2025 02:43 PM

Why not the Singapore way! Just use the Parking app and key in the parking zone and lot numbers plus car number and duration of the parking time. If you need to extend, just extend it from anywhere you are at using the parking App. No infrastructure etc involved. Just need to properly update the code numbers of each parking zone and prepare the App. Each municipal or state can have their own parking app. I guess the Japan, European and Americans have other options too.

0 8

Find a cost effective, simple solution faster Monday, 16 June 2025 04:36 PM

Yes that is fine, even Dubai/Abu Dhabi system. I experienced in Abu Dhabi the App. In the pay-parking zones, a display board was placed how to use the App for parking payment, this about eight-years, now they would have developed much better. Don't let the agents to collect the money which goes to pockets instead to CMC. Find the easiest solution and implement sooner, then parking agent-mafia can be eliminated.

0 4

PRESIDENT FOOD FOR THOUGHT Monday, 16 June 2025 06:40 PM

CORRECT MANY COUNTRIES HAVE THIS SYSTEM.

0 2

Sri Wickrema Monday, 16 June 2025 12:04 PM

Way to go!

5 33

Rip Winkle Monday, 16 June 2025 12:05 PM

Congratulations, Ms Balthazaar! Well done, NPP!! Bye bye, corrupt UNP, SJB, Pohottu hopefuls!!!

10 56

Nvhgfguii Monday, 16 June 2025 12:06 PM

Congratulations NPP, well done, atleast now we know, that the profits which makes from the CMC is in safe hands. At last the god is looking at this country which it will be a powerful country by at least in 10 years.

3 43

Patriot Monday, 16 June 2025 12:11 PM

Parking should not be outsourced it should be done by CMC it self digitalizing using camera's and ensure no more disturbance to general public in guise of funerals, weddings, special events should not get into pavements and streets, equal treatment to all religions and citizens. That what is asked from NPP by the voters.

3 54

Hassanda Monday, 16 June 2025 12:18 PM

Jayawewa AKD Malimava

2 9

Lion Monday, 16 June 2025 12:19 PM

Now mujbeer will say NPP won giving bribes to the members of the Colombo MMC

2 15

Djay Monday, 16 June 2025 12:21 PM

Finally, the most corrupt municipal council is now in the hands of the right people. Give them time, the real change is coming. I’m confident they were well prepared for this victory, with development plans already set to roll out the moment they took office. Congratulations, NPP! Now it’s your turn to prove all the haters wrong and make our country proud.

3 16

Grace Monday, 16 June 2025 12:22 PM

Congratulations. Please give priority to eradicate pests that spread infectious diseases. Diseases spread by vectors cost a fortune to the government and scare away hundreds of tourists and our economically suffering country losing millions.

1 13

NV Jen Monday, 16 June 2025 12:26 PM

Congrats, well done. Party winning the highest number of seats taking over the mayoral post, is the right thing. Sajith could have saved face if only he had opted to support NPP from outside, instead of trying to align with the corrupt and crooked.

3 10

Spartacus Monday, 16 June 2025 12:27 PM

Please do not be crooked like your brother who ran the Dehiwela Mount Municipal Council. He was a deal maker and crook to the core. Never did anything useful to the area.

0 16

D P P Prasad Monday, 16 June 2025 12:27 PM

Mr Mujiber had a very peculiar ailment. Soon he will recover from it. Mujiber,s horse trading business will be terminated from today onwards. We are very happy about the NPP success and congratulations from the bottom of our hearts

1 12

Jagath Leanage Monday, 16 June 2025 12:29 PM

Great news. Congratulations. All previous M.C.s' were full of corruptions and had many malpractices. Under your leadership, we believe to stop them and uplift living environment clean, tidy and corruption free Colombo city.

2 11

Nihal S Monday, 16 June 2025 12:38 PM

Congratulations NPP. Show the difference of NPP rule to the people and visitors to the Colombo.

3 12

Anuradha Monday, 16 June 2025 12:46 PM

Congratulations NPP

3 11

Mohamed Monday, 16 June 2025 12:46 PM

CONGRATULATIONS !

2 9

Jerry Paiva Monday, 16 June 2025 12:47 PM

Congratulations!, Vrai Very Best Wishes to you in your job as Mayor of Colombo

2 10

LK Monday, 16 June 2025 12:47 PM

Thank you for wise members who voted for her: we don’t need a political conflict rather reconciliation: Good and wise move : our best wishers for this lady and hope she will do it

2 11

Sri Sampath vewa Monday, 16 June 2025 12:51 PM

SJB, UNP and the SLPP try to play chess to hoodwink the people however in a straight game of test cricket they fail miserably. Now Sajith and RW can settle on playing dham board.

1 10

A Colombo Lover Monday, 16 June 2025 12:56 PM

Congratulations and all the very best. This is great news to enable a corrupt free Clean Colombo.

1 7

Nimal R Monday, 16 June 2025 12:58 PM

Congratulations! Few fools from SJB, UNP and SLMC were screaming to have an open vote. What sort of idiots are they? They don't even know that secret ballot is one main feature of democracy.

1 9

Insider Monday, 16 June 2025 03:52 PM

A secret ballot is voting according to your conviction and free from extraneous party pressure. That is real democracy - one person one vote as he/she prefers.

0 3

John Frazer Monday, 16 June 2025 01:02 PM

cmc should be towards the 21 centery such as collecting garbage on time / receycling programms / legals parking systems in colombo for the incomming vehicals and up lift the public service such as public toilets in main towns let them charge RS 5.00 for the usage .They can copy for the west. Most of this programms can start from one city in colombo and speard towrads the rest of the other cities.

0 13

NAMAL the son of hora Monday, 16 June 2025 01:08 PM

what a full moon smile

1 9

Ylg Monday, 16 June 2025 01:09 PM

The corrupted lot are going to give her trouble. The most corrupt place on earth.

0 11

Aquarius Monday, 16 June 2025 01:10 PM

The challenges to break the mafias operating within the CMC will be huge and get ugly as those who are pocketing millions are going to fight back. They were hoping the opposition will get their mayor to continue their illegal businesses. The government should back the CMC in this clean up exercise.

0 9

roobarbie Monday, 16 June 2025 01:27 PM

Way to go. Congratulations our new Mayor. Premadasa boy, UNP gang, Kariya_potta-wasum,conspirators lost their deposit. Hope you lot learnt a lesson, No means NO, pd. People Rejected you lot!

1 8

Naushad Monday, 16 June 2025 01:27 PM

Congratulations Vraie Cally Balthazaar Your duty will be measured for good. Now Mujeepur, Marikar, SP, Namal , Pohattu bhaiyo tikka , go to the side and keep quite. We Sri Lankan people will take care of local governments and their performance. kattai pukai wahanagana pathata venda.

1 10

බතල පූස් Monday, 16 June 2025 02:06 PM

Great. Hope new mayor will take drastic measures to curb corruption.

0 7

Sisil Sudesh Monday, 16 June 2025 02:11 PM

Why secret ballot? Should have been an open vote for the people to see how their representatives behave. Anyway, the results show how the NPP is flouting it's principles.

12 4

Shamila jayasundara Monday, 16 June 2025 02:17 PM

Congratulations to the new Mayor and the NPP! Please do a good job and continue to stay in power.We need good governance like the NPP.The corrupt earlier regimes should never come back in the future.They will undo the good work of you all,this is something every citizen should understand and be patriotic.

1 9

Nalin Gooneratne Monday, 16 June 2025 02:20 PM

Congratulations. Stop all corruption and the people will be with you. Also have the weekly public day and solve the unattended problems of the rate payers.

0 6

Naushad Farouque SAMOON Monday, 16 June 2025 02:21 PM

Congratulations to M/s Vraie Cally Balthazaar??? Well Done ??? VICTORY FOR CEYLON DEMOCRACY in COLOMBO ??? Onward NPP march ON to Build a Country of Compassion Free of All Divisive Politics with PEACE and HARMONY for ALL PEOPLE

0 8

CONGRATULATIONS AND MAY THE LORD GUIDE YOU TO EXCEL IN YOUR RESPONSIBILITES AS MAYOR OF COLOMBO. Monday, 16 June 2025 02:23 PM

CONGRATULATIONS TO VRAIE BALTHAZAAR AND THE NPP, FINALLY WE GET A MEMBER WHO HAS A VISION FOR COLOMBO, THAT WILL BENEFIT THE PEOPLE, THE COUNTRY AND BRING IN MORE TOURISTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD, WHICH IS GOOD FOR OUR ECONOMY TOO. SO HAPPY TO AN NPP CANDIDATE WIN IN A SECRET BALLOT.

1 6

Ramesh Monday, 16 June 2025 02:23 PM

NPP lacks business acumen. They can't develop Colombo city

21 3

L jayasingha Monday, 16 June 2025 04:11 PM

Yes yes. They dont know how to rob the people and the country like past rogues and do personal business.

0 8

ANOTHER PLAN LIKE THE ALLIANCES/GAS CYLINDER BLOWS UP IN THEIR FACES!!. Monday, 16 June 2025 02:28 PM

THIS IS A GOOD LESSON FOR ALL THE PARTY'S THAT SPOKE BIG ABOUT JOINING TOGETHER WITH WHAT WE ALL KNOW WAS AN ATTEMPT TO ENSURE THAT THE NPP CANDIDATE WAS NOT ELECTED. AT LEAST WE NOW HOPE THAT THEY WILL ACCEPT THE FACT THAT EVEN COLOMBO DOESN'T WANT TO HAVE A BAR OF EITHER ONE OF THEIR PARTY'S AS COLOMBO MAYOR. IT IS TIME FOR ALL OTHER PARTY'S TO STARY WORKING ON THEIR OWN, AS ALLIANCES, STOOGE AGREEMENTS AND OR AGENDA'S TO PUSH THE NPP GOVT FROM EXPANDING AND GETTING CONTROL OF COLOMBO WHERE CORRUPTION HAS BEEN THE TALKING POINT BETWEEN RESIDENTS.

1 7

Rogan Monday, 16 June 2025 03:39 PM

Only hoping the new Mayoress will not follow the footsteps of her colleagues in parliament

2 1

Dr Soori Maripalan Monday, 16 June 2025 04:22 PM

Congratulation! Well done NPP! I am sure that she will do a fantastic job in Colombo! All are happy chase out other corrupted parties who have ruled Colombo for many-many decades! Glad to know that Pina and Myna are completely out! Well done. Thank to other individuals/groups who have supported to kick those corrupt people!

1 4

Terrence K Monday, 16 June 2025 04:38 PM

Why was the JVP/NPP afraid to go for an open vote which is transparent rather than for a secret vote. Some of the independent candidates casted their vote because there was money exchanged otherwise they could have been transparent and cast their vote to the person they wish to see as their Mayor. In a secret vote the opposing factor cannot bring legal proceedings as they do not know who the traitors. For the best interests of all members this should be taken up in Courts and all members accounts should be checked for any bribery / corruption that has taken place as the accounts will reveal the traitors!!!!!!!

8 2

M Fernando Monday, 16 June 2025 06:27 PM

In any election, does everyone go in waving their ballot around for all to see ? This seems to be a strange question you are asking. If this guy had misgivings about the method, he should have raised them BEFORE the event and not after he discovered he'd lost. Do you think he would be raising questions of "unfairness" if he had won ? He's a sore loser, that's all - probably watching the spectre of his ill-gotten gains vanishing before his eyes like a mirage in the desert !! It must hurt !!

1 4

Terrence K Tuesday, 17 June 2025 08:42 AM

If you had observed the proceedings one would note that from the beginning the Commissioner was insisting that a secret vote should take place. With no disrespect to Balthazzar and looking at the past one or two weeks culminating to the election of Mayor the JVP/NPP were adamant to win by hook or by crook to win the Colombo CMC for prestige purposes and as such the Party who said that all other parties were crooks why were they vying for the vote of these independent members. Definitely there has been some underhand deal for money/some benefit and in order to withold the names of such people who were coming forward to the assistance of JVP/NPP they wanted a secret vote. In an open vote the respective member should stand up and show his acceptance. This would have resulted in the opposing lodging a complaint for Bribery/Corruption. As the saying goes "Kill Two Birds with One Stone" Ideally an open vote satisfies all parties!!!!!!

0 0

R. K. D. C. Bernard Monday, 16 June 2025 06:35 PM

The secret ballot was held at the Town Hall in Colombo correctly and legally by the authorities of the Colombo Municipal Council for select the Mayor and Mrs. Balthasaar was elected by that. This is the time of those defeated team for criticism and contempt to winners. Their heavy hopes were thrown away by the voters of majority. Please continue this judgement together for developing the local government.

0 4

Das Monday, 16 June 2025 08:55 PM

Investigate parking ticket mafia , collect the money not paid by the collectors

1 2

Ranil Tuesday, 17 June 2025 09:18 AM

In the end it’s the tax payers money. Hope hope to see all crooks who ever it be be prosecuted. Tax. Be given a better service and staff be on official work time.

0 0

JOSEPH Saturday, 21 June 2025 12:57 AM

make good clean toilets to tourists and locals , Charge to keep them clean and spotless

0 0

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