Galle Mayor Methsiri de Silva unveiled plans to develop this southern coastal town by initially constructing a new two-storied bus stand complex and also a twin storied fish market.

Delivering the budget speech, he pledged to make Galle a beautiful town by demolishing all unauthorized structures within three months.

Speaking at the Galle Municipal Council, de Silva recalled the tussle to take over the Mayoralty which was legitimately due to him.

"I was finally appointed Mayor on December 3, 2008 after a delay of eight months as the previous incumbent declined to step down", he recounted.

He said that he has made provision in the budget for allocation of Rs. 30,000 to be awarded to the ‘best employees’ of the Galle Municipality at a ceremony to be held at the end of this year.

Opposition leader Dushantha Seneviratne (UNP) expressed disappointment at the way financial allocations have been made to municipal councilors in this budget.

He complained that while the Mayor and Deputy Mayor have received the lion’s share of Rs. 1 million each, all the other councilors – PA, UNP and JVP – have been allocated only Rs. 600,000 each.

"This amount is insufficient for our development work".

He described the budget as "one which was incapable of developing Galle".

"It’s merely confined to statistics without a proper program of work", Seneviratne pointed out.

He expressed UNP’s opposition to the budget.

Parakrama Dahanayake (PA) said the budget did not refer to the management and disposal of waste in Galle. This is a drawback.

He said that as Mayor Methsiri de Silva had limited time to prepare this budget since his appointment in December 2008, he did not want to pick holes. "I am only offering some advice as a senior member".

The Mayor acknowledged that he prepared the budget within a short timeframe to be presented on December 31, 2008.