PM tells governors people want results

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena chats with Uva Province Governor A.J.M. Muzammil at the first international conference on Local Governance and Leadership in Colombo yesterday 

• Stresses local governance must be fortified with information technology

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena yesterday told a forum of provincial governors that people want immediate rewarding results not complicated plans.

“They want results, results and results,” the Premier said at the first international conference on Local Governance and Leadership; Global Challenges and Experiences at the Sri Lanka Foundation organised by the Sri Lanka Institute of Local Government.

He added that identifying people›s problems and providing solutions to them through participatory democracy is a primary responsibility of people›s representatives at the local government level.

Information technology knowhow at local government level is essential nowadays and the Government aims to take the facility to the village level as well. In order to win the world, it is necessary to expedite the transfer of information technology to the grass root level. It is the right time for local Government representatives to act swiftly and sensibly in achieving this goal, Prime said. He pointed out that rural level governance has been established in the country since the days of the State Council. However, it is not a novel concept to Sri Lanka. History bears witness to the existence of a rural governance structure even during the Anuradhapura era. The challenge of improving this to match today’s requirement is left to local government representatives.

The Prime Minister stated that providing solutions to the pressing problems of the people is the primary objective of every program implemented by the Government.

Provincial Governors, Sri Lanka Institute of Local Government Chairman Dr. Sooratissa Dissanayake and Heads of Local Government institutions were also present.