The March of Folly Oration for Dr P R Anthonis Teach us to care and not to care Teach us to sit still.

By Rajiva Wijesinha

Professionalism and Productivity

1. A Ministry of Plan Implementation and Coordination is desirable to monitor productivity and performance against targets. Performance incentives are desirable, perhaps through recognition at a national forum. Ministries should also maintain schedules of potential leaders and ensure appropriate training.
2. The Development Secretaries Forum should be revived and meet under the aegis of the above Ministry. It should include Chief Secretaries of Provinces and, in addition to monitoring and promoting policy implementation, it should advise on the shaping of policy.
3. Schemes of Recruitment need to be strictly followed in making appointments, and administrators should be protected against interference by politicians. The Right to Information Act should be strengthened in this respect to make information as to all appointments and criteria followed publicly available.
4. Senior positions should be advertised, and the selection board should have strong external representation, perhaps through a nominee of the Coordination Ministry or the Development Secretaries Forum.
5. This does not preclude the Minister personally obtaining professional advice and support but that should be from the limited number of staff he appoints at his discretion. In those instances too there should be criteria for the appointments and they should prepare performance reports which should be available to the public, since public funds are being deployed.
6. The practice of Ministers handing over letters of appointment to public officers should cease, since it reinforces the idea that jobs are the prerogative of the Minister. In addition to piling further pressures on the Minister for more jobs, it leads appointees to see their service as political rather than to the public.
7. With regard to appointments to public bodies, the discretion of the Minister should be subject to guidelines. Letters of appointment should be issued by the Secretary, following recommendations from the Minister which make clear the rationale for the recommendation.
8. Continuity should be ensured by retention of at least two former external members of boards. This requirement can be statutorily imposed, and should be acceptable since the rationale for the different members having been appointed will be available on file. In general, a Code of Rules should be formulated for such appointments.

Accountability

9. Monitoring Productivity, Performance Assessment, Progress Reviews are not carried out objectively. Performance reviews are perfunctory, with no provision for measuring excellence or commitment. This must be changed, with provision to recognize excellence. Progress reviews tend to be of outlay rather than outcomes. They need to include brief narratives and should be reviewed. They should also be sent to the Coordination Ministry which will review and comment on the progress of each Ministry.
10. Senior officials, and all boards, should provide a one page account each quarter to the Secretary / Minister as to what has been accomplished and what priorities are for the next quarter. They should also have a clear statement of goals and report in terms of their work towards these goals. These too must be reviewed by the Coordination Ministry.
11. Ministries should maintain registers with regard to correspondence with a monthly review of what is outstanding. Every unit should be required to ensure that issues are dealt with within three days, or else a response sent to indicate action taken.
12. Internal Audit procedures must be strengthened with provision for analysis of outcomes, and due attention paid to the observations of External Audit. However procedures should be simplified, to avoid nitpicking that limits efficiency and flexibility. Administrative and Financial Regulations should be seen as guidelines, with greater transparency to ensure financial probity, rather than concentration on procedures rather than outcomes.

Efficiency

13. Training should be arranged systematically, both through a national overview system and a schedule in each Ministry specifying desired outcomes and with provision to assess these.
14. Most importantly, there was general consensus that rationalization of the Cabinet was an urgency. It requires political will, but it is also important that this Committee focus attention on the issue, and urge advocacy in this regard. Following much discussion, the meeting last week reached agreement on limiting the Cabinet to the following –
    1. Justice
    2. Finance & Planning (inclusive of Economic Policy)
    3. Defence
    4. Foreign Affairs (inclusive of Foreign Employment)
    5. Health
    6. Education (inclusive of Higher Education and Vocational Education)
    7. Trade and Commerce
    8. Industries, Science and Technology
    9. Agriculture, Food and Plantations
    10. Provincial Councils, Public Administration and Home Affairs
    11. Fisheries
    12. Land, Environment, Water Resources, Mineral Resources (inclusive of Disaster Management and Irrigation)
    13. Housing, Construction and Urban Development
    14. Ports, Shipping and Aviation
    15. Power and Energy (inclusive of Petroleum)
    16. Social Welfare and Empowerment (inclusive of Women and Children’s Affairs, Secretariats for Disabled and Elders )
    17. Social Amenities (inclusive of Cultural Affairs and Sports, Archaeology and National Heritage)
    18. Religious Affairs
    19. Reconciliation, Rehabilitation and Resettlement
    20. Posts and Telecommunications
    21. Tourism and Media
    22. Transport and Highways
    23. Labour, Employment and Entrepreneurship
    24. Procurement
    25. Plan Implementation and Coordination

It was agreed that the first and the last two Ministries above should not be entrusted to Constituency MPs, but should go to those without electoral interests or obligations.

1. Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha          – Chairman, TVEC
2. Mr. S.A.N. Saranatissa         – Secretary, Ministry of Labor
3. Ms. Pradeepa Serasinghe     – Ministry of Public Administration
4. Ms. Thanuja Murugesan       – Public Service Commission
5. Mr. ABM Ashraf               – SLIDA
6. Ms. Ayoni Waniganayake     – Ceylon Chamber of Commerce
7. Mr. Romesh Costa                 –  Jetwing Colombo
8. Ms. Shalika Subasinghe        – World Bank
9. Mr. Sudarshan Jayasundara – ADB
10. Ms. Whitney Fraser               – Ceylon Chamber of Commerce
11. Mr. K.A. Lalithadheera        – NHRDC
12. Mr. W.G. Shirantha               – Communications Consultant, TVEC
13. Mr K D Sanjeewa              – Training Manager, TVEC
14.    Ms. G.G.K.Uthpala                    – Legal Officer/Secretary, NHRDC
15. Ms. Navoda Edirisinghe         – Research Officer, NHRDC