Colombo City is challenging as it is beautiful

Open letter to the new Mayoress of Colombo

By Visakha Tillekeratne

Dear Mayor Vraie,

First of all congratulations on your appointment, which was won despite the many challenges. In a nutshell Colombo City is still one of the greenest anywhere, and it has its own beauty and ambience. Successive Mayors and their councils have contributed to this situation. Over the years the city has been made much cleaner, even though certain areas need to be much cleaner.

• The city we like to live in - is one that is less polluted, maintaining at best and improving the ecosystem especially bird and animal life and the Beira Lake that stinks to high heaven when the weather is really hot. 
• Labelling low income settlements as “wathu”, or “mudukku” etc has to be stopped and these communities should be made equal partners, productive and empowered. 
• The city we like to live in is one that is well lit and conducive to the movement and safety of people, especially women and children. Colombo could well be a Child Friendly City and the indicators are well espoused globally. 

The city we like to live in -- is where the dog and cat population should be allowed to live peacefully on the streets and parks, as we are a country with a relatively high population of cats and dogs. 

Public places

There is no point in cleaning up the Colombo Fort Railway Station if the toilets are still unacceptably dirty. However, though many public toilets are located around the city, citizens are still reluctant to use them. 

Markets 

Marketplaces need to be cleaned up drastically in line with “the Healthy Markets” conceptual framework. 

Garbage 

Has to be clearly segregated without being dumped and strategies brought about to minimise garbage. In countries such as Switzerland, excess garbage is taxed, besides the popular recycling approach. Taxing ensures that one does not dump too much from one’s homes. Currently the garbage collection trucks do not ensure strict segregation of garbage. 

Some tips

1. Look at what has worked and is working. Implement a Results Based Management (RBM) plan with clear indicators. These indicators must be tied into the work plan of various officials including Key performance Indicators. RBM has to be the way for systematic development.

2. Community development of marginalised communities should be done making them clear and equal partners based on grounded theory. 

3. RBM must have sub plans for each ward.

4. The sub plans must be driven by doers who have to be a combination of local politicians, experts, citizens and CMC officials. 

5. The owners of the plans have to be the citizens. Citizens need to be empowered to evaluate and review these plans. 

6. Corruption, lethargy, fragmentation of administration, internal politics, outdated procedures (too paper based), too many committees, and lack of automation are a few of the evils that has beset the CMC.

Many of us are ready to help our city and its people always.

(The writer is the former Commissioner of the Sri Lanka Girl Guides Association).