Former associate of Jaffna Mayoress alleges widespread corruption in JMC

[TamilNet, Saturday, 09 November 2013, 23:53 GMT]
S. Vijayakanth, an elected member of the EPDP in Jaffna Municipal Council (JMC) and a former close associate of Ms Yogeswari Patkunam, the mayoress of Jaffna, has blamed the JMC for not having democratic sittings according to the procedures. The general assembly has not been convened for the last three months, he said on Thursday. The lifetime of the current administration was extended by one year from August 2013 by SL president Mahinda Rajapaksa. Following disputes, the EPDP has sacked Mr Viajayakanth from the party blaming him on corruption charges. Now, the former EPDP member has vowed of revealing details of widespread corruption in the JMC administration.

The JMC had earlier provided jobs to 600 EPDP members and supporters, he said.

Even now, the JMC has announced that it was seeking to fill the vacancies in its administration and has called for applications. This is a move to provide permanent jobs to around 200 EPDP members, he blamed.

Alleging corruptions at several millions of rupees, the former confidante of Ms Yogeswary Patkunam, blamed the Mayoress for running the affairs within her closed door without consulting most of the elected members of the JMC.

The Northern Provincial Council (NPC) should demand new election to Jaffna Municipal Council to put an end to the continuing corruptions, he said at a press conference held at Jaffna Press Club on Thursday.

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) constituting the opposition members in the JMC and several detractors of the EPDP-run JMC have earlier accused the key persons in JMC administration of having made millions of rupees through embezzlement of JMC funds and assets.