Jaffna Municipal Council Budget defeated:  Hot arguments in the Council

The Jaffna Municipal Council’s Budget for 2019 has been defeated by a majority vote yesterday.

The sitting of the Jaffna Municipal Council commenced 10.00 a.m. Mayor Arnold submitted yesterday the Budget -2019.

The members of the TNPF said that as no development plans for people are inducted into the budget and as it seems to be luxury Budget, the Budget is a defeated Budget.

The Mayor said he did not see it as a defeated Budget and invited the members to make amendments.

There after the TNPF Members insisted that it is proper to put the Budget to vote. But the Mayor did not agree to it.

Then the TNPF members said that they are prepared to propose the amendments if the Budget is considered defeated. On the basis of  Mayor accepting this statement, amendments were made to the Income Part.

When the council resumed sitting, the Mayor asked the members to make amendments to the Expenditure part of the Budget. The TNPF and EPDP members jointly said that the amendments could not be made off hand and details should be given to them first.

At one stage the Mayor said the TNPF and the EPDP had jointly had done a “cut throat” work, following which heated arguments occurred and the Mayor adjourned the Council sitting without putting the Budget to vote.