A Sri Lankan makes it to the Top 10 Mayors of World 20

Thursday, 24 April 2014 Alfonso Snchez Garza, Mayor of Matamoros, Mexico hen elected Mayor of Matamoros in !uly 2010, Alfonso Snchez Garza "as descri#ed as one of Mexico$s political risin% stars& The city is situated on the 'io (ra)o across the #order from (ro"ns)ille, Texas& Alfonso Snchez founded the *phthalmolo%ic +nstitute of Matamoros, "hich runs important pro%rammes such as #rin%in% in ,#ri%ades$ of doctors from the -S to conduct eye tests, and in certain cases eye sur%ery, for the elderly& The pro%ramme in)ol)es the free distri#ution .00 pairs of spectacles a month to the poor& Alfonso Snchez, "ho has also #een deputy for Matamoros, "on the mayoral elections "ith /4 per cent of the )ote as a direct result of his dedication and intense acti)ities in helpin% the needy&

+n 0th place

Mouhi# 1hatir, Mayor of 2eralda, Al%eria

3urin% his time in office, Mouhi# 1hatir has #ecome an outspo4en critic a%ainst corruption& +n 2011 the Al%erian authorities arrested and imprisoned him for se)en months& 5e "as later released "ithout char%e after the inter)ention of Transparency +nternational& Most testimonials mention the mayor$s coura%e in a less6than6democratic country and one "ith a recent history of extreme )iolence, "ith some commentators hopin% that the mayor$s short6listin% for the orld Mayor 7rize should encoura%e other mayors to follo" his example& *ne citizen said the mayor al"ays defended his city a%ainst the de)elopment mafia& 8ollo"in% Al%eria$s local elections in 3ecem#er 2012, Mouhi# 1hatir "rote to the 9ity Mayors 8oundation explainin% "hy he did not run a%ain:
;+ did not run a%ain for the position of Mayor "hich is no" only ceremonial "ith no

po"ers "hatsoe)er& This is due to the introduction in Septem#er 2011 of the <nou)eau code communal< =ne" municipal code> "hich stripped the position of mayor of all its po"ers =the State no" mana%es local authorities>& To my %reat re%ret the position of Mayor no" is the e?ui)alent of a forest ran%er =Garde 9hamp@tre>& hen in 2000, + and fello" mayors created the MayorsA 8orum my first aim "as to ?uestion and to amend the Municipal 9ode "ith the support of other mayors #est placed to mana%e at a local le)el& Sadly, the Go)ernment decided to do "ithout our help& +n .th place

Bd%ardo 3 7amintuan, Mayor of An%eles 9ity, 7hilippines

Since #ecomin% Mayor of An%eles 9ity in !uly 2010, Bd%ardo 7amintuan concentrated on impro)in% the city$s health system, pro)idin% #etter education for all and in)estin% in infrastructure& 5e has remained popular "ith residents "ho "elcome impro)ements in draina%e and en)ironmental infrastructure, as "ell as "or4 on healthcare and "elfare, includin% education& Testimonials praise the mayor for specific achie)ements, includin%: #ein% the first mayor to #uild a city colle%e pro)idin% lo"6cost educationC the plantin% of 200,000 trees "ith help from )olunteers, "hich apparently "ill help a)oid floodin%C the cleanin% of maDor draina%es and for modernizin% the city hospital, includin% installin% dialysis facilities& Bd%ardo 7amintuan has also maintained the confidence of #usiness leaders, "ho #elie)e that the mayor$s efforts in cur#in% %raft and corruption are succeedin%& The administration of Mayor 7amintuan has also #een a"arded the Seal of Good 5ouse4eepin% #y the country$s Ministry of Eocal Go)ernment& +n Fth place

Een (ro"n, Mayor of Auc4land, Ge" 2ealand

Een (ro"n, elected in *cto#er 2010, is the first mayor of the so6called super city of Auc4land, "hich "as formed in 2010 #y the amal%amation of se)en local councils and one re%ional council& 5e #e%an his political career in 1002 as Manu4au 9ity councillor and "as elected Mayor of Manu4au 9ity in 200F& 'esidents praise Mayor (ro"n for his #old and excitin% )ision& hile Auc4land is already #ein% named #y Mercer 9onsultin% as the third most li)ea#le city in the "orld, Mayor (ro"n aims for Auc4land to replace Hienna at the top of the ta#le& 5e #elie)es this can #e achie)ed #y creatin% a "orld6class transport system, attractin% hi%h6)alue companies and s4illed "or4ers, protectin% the city$s and re%ion$s natural resources and, a#o)e all, ma4in% Auc4land a city "here e)ery citizen feels at home& +n /th place

7ar4

an6su, Mayor of 9han%"on 9ity, South 1orea

7ar4 an6su #ecame Mayor of 9han%"on 9ity in a #y6election in 2004 and "on his first full term in 200/& +n 2010 he #ecame the first mayor of the super city of 9han%"on after the amal%amation of 9han%"on, Masan and !inhae& 9han%"on 9ity no" has a population of some 1&1 million people& 7ar4 an6su recei)ed a 7h3 in pu#lic administration from 1yun%nam -ni)ersity and has pu#lished se)eral #oo4s includin% Society "ith 7rinciple and Society ith 5ope& (esides his ci)il ser)ice career, he "as a professor and dean of %o)ernment school, 1aya -ni)ersity& The mayor$s en)ironmental initiati)es ha)e "on attention outside the country and seemin%ly %one #eyond concrete measures to"ards chan%in% peopleAs perceptions in this area& The city has #een descri#ed as the en)ironmental capital of South 1orea& 'ecently Mayor 7ar4 an6su cooperated "ith the German city of 8rei#ur% and 9uriti#a, (razil, on en)ironmental issues&

!ohn 8 9oo4, Mayor of Bl 7aso, -SA

!ohn 8 9oo4 too4 office in 200I after defeatin% the incum#ent mayor& 5e "on re6election in 2000 #ut, due to term limits, is pre)ented from standin% for a third term in 201J& -nder the mayor$s leadership, Bl 7aso has #een repeatedly named as one of the safest cities in the -S despite its close proximity to !uarez =Mexico>, the "orld$s second most murder6afflicted city& +n 2011 Mayor 9oo4 came to national and international prominence "hen he and t"o city councillors )oted to restore health #enefits to %ay and unmarried partners of city employees& The #enefits "ere "ithdra"n after a pu#lic #allot sponsored #y reli%ious conser)ati)e %roups succeeded in Go)em#er 2010& 8ollo"in% the mayor$s )ote a ,family )alues$ %roup mounted an unsuccessful attempt to recall him from office& 8or Mayor 9oo4 the fi%ht, "hich #e%an in 2000 "hen the city council appro)ed health #enefits for #oth and %ay and strai%ht domestic couples, has #een a%ainst intolerance and #i%otry& 5e said %o)ernment had no #usiness enforcin% an *ld Testament moral code on

its citizens& +n 4th place

'K%is Ea#eaume, Mayor of LuK#ec 9ity, 9anada

'K%is Ea#eaume "as elected mayor in 3ecem#er 200F follo"in% the death of the then mayor AndrKe (oucher& 5e "as re6elected in Go)em#er 2000 "ith almost .0 per cent of the )ote& 7ositi)e testimonials hi%hli%ht his hard "or4, a rou%h6and6ready manner or e)en confrontational style, "hich people seem to li4e and his a#ility to direct state moneys to"ards the city, and his honesty& There are repeated comments on residentsA pride in their city& *thers comment on the num#er of international e)ents or concerts the mayor has #rou%ht to LuK#ec& Mayor Ea#eaume insists there is no corruption and none "ill #e tolerated in the LuK#ec 9ity %o)ernment& +n Jrd place

!o4o

idodo =!o4o"i>, Mayor of Sura4arta, +ndonesia

+n !uly 200I he #ecame the first directly6elected mayor of his city and in Septem#er 2012 "as elected Go)ernor of !a4arta& hile Mayor of Sura4arta 6 also 4no"n as Solo 6 !o4o idodo turned a crime6ridden city into a re%ional centre for arts and culture, "hich has started to attract international tourism& 5is campai%n a%ainst corruption earned him a reputation for #ein% the most honest politician in +ndonesia& !o4o idodo also declined to ta4e a salary "hile mayor of Sura4arta& There is here a lon% list of positi)e testimonials and %enuine and )ery enthusiastic praise for the mayor, most particularly for his honesty and refusal to #e corrupted 6 apparently an exception in +ndonesia& 5e is seen as a pu#lic ser)ant sensu stricto& 5is personal ?ualities, apparent humility,

hands6on and people6oriented approach are appreciated& *ne testimonial states: 5e spends or spent "hen mayor of Solo Dust one hour in the office and the rest of the day %oin% around the city& 5e recently "on elections to #ecome the %o)ernor of !a4arta #y a clear mar%in, "hich is li4e se)eral million positi)e testimonials, and li4ely a massi)e )ote a%ainst corruption& +n 2nd place

Eisa Scaffidi, Mayor of 7erth, Australia

Eisa Scaffidi "as first elected Eord Mayor of 7erth, estern Australia, in *cto#er 200F& She defeated the out%oin% 3eputy Eord Mayor #y "innin% I/ per cent of the )ote& She stood for re6election to a second four6year term in *cto#er 2011 and "on "ith a mar%in of 2I per cent o)er her principal challen%er& Mayor Scaffidi "as the 9hief Bxecuti)e *fficer "ithin estern Australia for the #usiness6led 9ommittee for Bconomic 3e)elopment of Australia for 11 years until #ecomin% mayor& 3urin% Eisa Scaffidi$s first term the city council produced its 2000 four6year plan and the mayor "ill no" o)ersee its 201J successor& She is stron%ly promotin% sustaina#le %ro"th and #oth the city strate%y and its or%anisational structure reflect that& +n 200.60 the city hired le%endary ur#an desi%ners Gehl Architects to produce a 7u#lic Spaces 7u#lic Eifeplan, "hich "as incorporated in all the current strate%ies& The mayor is credited for her efforts to ma4e 7erth a "orld6class centre of scientific research, not Dust a ser)ice centre for the minin% industry& AG3 +n 1st 7lace

Eord Mayor of 5am#antota, BraD 'a)indra 8ernando,

5am#antota$s ,Eord Mayor$ BraD 'a)indra 8ernando #ein% instructed #y

Gamal 'aDapa4se manhandles -G7 M7s as -G7 M7s "ere intimidated and pelted "ith e%%s and tomatoes "hen they arri)ed at the 'aDapa4sa #astion for a fact6findin% )isit& The country "o4e up a fe" days a%o to ne"s that a %roup of opposition -G7 M7s on a fact findin% )isit to the ne" airport and port in 5am#anthota had come under attac4 from %oon s?uads& Su#se?uently, photo%raphs sho"ed 5is orship =the -78A> Eord Mayor of 5am#antota, BraD 'a)indra 8ernando, chasin% the -G7 M7s "ith a pistol in his hand, closely follo"ed #y mem#ers of the %oon s?uad& Su#se?uently the mayor "as to claim that he "as only actin% to protect the M7s and that too "ith a toy pistol&