Wednesday Dec 11, 2024
Wednesday Dec 11, 2024
Wednesday, 18 December 2019 02:08 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The Presidential Secretariat on 26 November invited experienced professionals to submit EOIs (expressions of interest) to be considered for appointment as chairpersons and board members of State-owned enterprises, regulatory bodies and other statutory institutions.
The EOI submission deadline was dated as 18 December to be sent by mail or email, to Additional Secretary to President, Secretary’s Bureau, Presidential Secretariat, Colombo 1 or via email to [email protected]. 
Hence, today is the deadline to send CV and covering letter to the ‘eminent’ panel to select suitable decision-makers to public corporations. I read with enthusiasm the article written by Eranda Ginige last Friday (13 December) to FT titled ‘How to select top officials to public corporations’. I wholeheartedly agree with most of his suggestions.
An anonymous source tells me that over 2,000 applications have been received via post and email (mostly via email).
“We want experienced and qualified people to head these organisations. We want them turned around so that they can become contributors to the economy, not loss-making burdens to the Treasury” – President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
The President had emphasised the importance of having true ‘professionals’ at the top to take these dysfunctional archaic public institutes to a competitive level and a place where public would want to visit without having to have a headache after spending four to five hours to get their work done.
Case in point – Try clearing items from customs at Peliyagoda and you will see. I have experienced it numerous times where the public employees including the high post personnel giving us one letter to be signed by five others at different locations within the institution. I calculated 2.4 kms walk (via fitbit device) between these points going back and forth the last time I visited. Most of us go back cursing these lazy people and the Government who waste precious time.
So it is indeed a delight to hear such statements from the President. We don’t really need to salute him for it, because it’s in his job description and other Presidents had failed in their given job.
However, is there real transparency in this selection process? We would assume that the scrutinizing of these applications have already started or will start from 19 December.
The six-member committee consists of these known gentlemen, each with their own skill set and portfolio of success stories:
Former Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga, who was supposed to be in this committee, was rightfully taken out, at least in paper since he has accusations associated to his name for his dealings in the past. A good move to keep it less scandalous.
How would they really screen all those applications? Are some professionals also invited to just send their CV to put them into these vacant positions? Are non-citizens also given positions to attract the so called ‘skilled’ Sri Lankan diaspora? Will all who applied get acknowledgement for the time spent in sending their applications? Would the CVs send via email still pile up in the ‘Inbox’ without them being opened? What type of transparency would be adhered for this? Will there be justification for the selection and would the government publish the list of candidates selected for the positions?
These are just some of the questions the public need to clearly raise when this process is happening. If we are to truly believe that these positions are not just filled by close supporters of the President prior to elections, then these questions need to be answered with clarity and responsibility by the Government.
The young generation can’t be fooled any longer. The President knows it. So he better ensure that this first step towards his promise is fulfilled with vindication to the public. Let it not be a gimmick.
(The author is a former lecturer at University of Moratuwa, is an author of 25+ ICT books and founder of GTS, an educational game production company. He is currently reading for his PhD at General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University focusing on the thesis area of ‘creating a new education paradigm for Sri Lankan primary education system’. He can be contacted via [email protected].)
