Former Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Mayoress Sunethra Ranasinghe yesterday stressed the need to focus on many issues in the new electoral system. “We welcome this ward system, because there is a member to represent the people of the area … it’s not like in the past when they come to seek the vote and vanish until the next election.”
She said that 60 per cent of candidates to a council is elected through the first-past-the-post system while the rest is elected through the proportional system.
“The problem is this percentage 40-60 percentage.” She lamented that her party won the council but her looser got bonus seats. “There are bonus seats to be given to the losers. I won the electorate, but I didn’t get any bonus. With the bonus they became equal to me.” “There are problems with this system. Attention has to be given to these things. Then what’s the point of winning? The people’s wish is not implemented at this time.”