Sri Lanka, May 24 -- This article too will look at Local Government, and how to make it more responsive to the needs of the people, instead of just being a vehicle for the ambitions of politicians. The majority think of Local Government as being simply a stepping stone to higher things, and if they do achieve anything it is with a view to popularity to develop their careers.

But what they do should be done rather by the administration, which should look after the provision of services to the people. Maithripala Sirisena's manifesto envisaged this, but I was wrong in assuming that he understood his own manifesto. Karu Jayasuriya I suspect understood, but when I suggested he moved on the reforms that had already been proposed to the previo...