Colombo Mayor Vrai Cally Balthazar outlines the most transparent, participatory, and citizen-driven budget process the city has seen in decades, pledging that the vision of a rich city and a beautiful life will continue regardless of political obstacles.
Colombo Mayor Vrai Cally Balthazar has reaffirmed that her determination to create a beautiful life in a rich city will not waver, even if the Colombo Municipal Council budget is defeated. She made this clear in a detailed statement shared on her official social media account.
With the second reading of the Colombo Municipal Council budget scheduled for the 31st, the Mayor said she felt it was her responsibility to inform the public about several lesser-known facts surrounding the budget and its transparency. She emphasized that a council budget is not merely an exercise in number crunching but a comprehensive document that reflects the progress achieved so far and the plans laid out for the year ahead.
She noted that Colombo has not had a functioning council for the past 23 to 24 years, during which budgets were prepared under the authority of the Commissioner. In contrast, a budget formulated by an elected council is a far more complex and inclusive process. Despite these challenges, she said the shared goal of all members was to present a people-oriented budget that truly serves the citizens of Colombo.
The Mayor explained that the budget process began weeks before the current council was elected. In July, she announced that all 16 institutions under the City Council would be invited to submit proposals, with the submission window remaining open until August. In addition, all Members of Parliament, from both government and opposition parties, were given the opportunity to submit proposals. She stressed that every proposal was evaluated from the perspective of public benefit, without regard to political affiliation.
Highlighting a significant departure from past practices, she said employees of the municipal system were also given the chance to submit written proposals. She described this as a unique achievement and a positive shift in Sri Lanka’s political culture, reflecting inclusivity and grassroots participation.
She acknowledged that the most challenging phase of the process involved negotiating and agreeing on the financial requirements of the proposals. This stage continued until November, followed by a detailed review to address shortcomings and ensure accuracy.
Once finalized, the draft budget was printed and reviewed again through 23 standing committees, with both party and opposition members participating democratically. The draft was then opened to public consultation for seven days, with notices published in three major newspapers in all three languages, as required by law. Copies were also made available at the public library and through the municipal treasurer.
Finally, the revised budget was reviewed by two finance committees comprising government and opposition members, allowing for corrections to proposed values and errors. The Mayor presented the finalized budget to the General Assembly on 2025.12.22, giving it the opportunity to adopt it.
She concluded by reiterating that the commitment to building a “beautiful life in a rich city” will never be withdrawn.
