Expertise for effectiveness

A CABINET reshuffle might be in the pipeline after the local government polls are completed on 17 March. The most significant change expected post-election is the division of duties for the Senior Ministers who have so far been given lofty titles but little real work.

The seven are former Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake (Good Governance and Infrastructure Facilities), D.E.W. Gunasekera (Human Resources), Athauda Seneviratne (Rural Affairs), P. Dayaratne (Food and Nutrition), A.H.M. Fowzie (Urban Affairs), S.B. Nawinna (Consumer Welfare), Piyasena Gamage (National Assets), Tissa Vitharana (Scientific Affairs) and Sarath Amunugama (International Monetary Cooperation).

Operated as a ‘Special Agency,’ the idea came repeatedly under fire from Opposition politicians who insisted that the Senior Ministers were allowed the same perks as full Cabinet ministers despite not being given specific duties. The Government responded by pointing out that they could function as a thinktank while creating space for younger parliamentarians to enter the ministerial rank and be groomed as a second rung leadership. This same strategy is expected to be followed with new faces expected in the Cabinet reshuffle while some of the duties of ministries will be passed onto Senior Ministers.

There are several considerations that need to be taken into account if this situation is to become reality. Duplication of duties is common in a large cabinet and with authority levels being further confused by inclusion of Senior Ministers, the Government has to be extra careful that each ministry has its duties clearly demarcated. As recent programmes have shown, there is already considerable repetition of ministries; for example, nine are connected with agriculture and five with industry. Certain duties of the Samurdhi officials have been invested with the Economic Development Ministry and confusion at ground level has been the result.

Some of the topics the Senior Ministers have been endowed with are incredibly important. Consumer welfare, good governance and infrastructure, human resources and food and nutrition are among sectors that can make a real difference in the lives of every citizen as well as making huge contributions to the overall development of Sri Lanka. The fact that these sectors are not developed with a comprehensive and transparent plan that evaluates the impact of actions taken by the Senior Ministers is a grave loss to the country.

Simply giving powers and duties is insufficient, as long years of inefficiency and ineffectualness have shown. The governance system of Sri Lanka needs an overhaul to stamp out wastage, corruption and bribery. It is doubtful whether adding another layer to this already cumbersome system will have any real effect on the ground; rather what it will achieve is an increase in public expenditure. Given that the expense of a multitude of ministries, including maintenance of the ministers, their personal staff, officials, premises and relevant institutions, will be added onto the people with no real benefit to them, the Senior Ministers have everything to prove.

It is hoped that their experience, contacts and expertise will provide a ‘think tank’ of sorts that the younger ministers and their underlings can draw on. Having already made it to the top, they have an obligation to renew their laurels rather than merely resting on them.