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Speeches given by Mr.Bandaranaike on Devolution.

A speech on Creation of a local Government Service

I move the motion standing in my name.

I think the House will realize that this Bill is one of the most important measures connected with the development of local government that has been introduced in this House. I think we may say, without exaggeration, that within the last ten or twelve years there has been a considerable advance in local self-government. The entire system has been remodeled, and the various Ordinances dealing with various branches of local government have been revised, and in many cases considerable amendments have been made. I may say without exaggeration that Ceylon possesses a system of local self-government which is certainly in advance of anything of the same nature that exists in any other country of the East. In many respects local government in this country does compare very favourably with the local government systems of Europe as well as America.

You will remember, Sir, that the proposals made by the Donoughmore Commissioners with regard to local self-government-a subject in which they very rightly, if I may say so, displayed a great deal of interest-have been followed up, and there is only one step remaining to be taken ; that is, the establishment of Provincial Councils, more or less on the analogy of the English County

Councils, having certain powers of the County Councils, but also possessing more powers than the County Councils in England. In other words, decentralization of the administration to a great extent in the Provincial councils-the coping-stone, if I may call it, of the structure of local self-government in Ceylon-is the only step that remains to be taken.


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