Adopting A Province: Impactful Devolution & Growth

By Lal Keerthie Fernando –November 27, 2015

Lal Keerthie Fernando

Two political parties had decided to do the ”Tango”: three persons proposed an idea, and others, accepted it as a good idea. They are now doing a political Tango. Ideas are relevant for compromise; vision, remains a guidance to force an exit of what was defunct and hopeless over the years.

It is the demand for compromise and laying standards has now come to be the norm. Reconciliation is a part and parcel of that. At this stage: Development and a compromise, is the talk of the day, everywhere. Why not do another Tango?

Over the years, SL foreign policy continued to dialog for bi-lateral and multi-lateral aid programmes. Bi-lateral programmes, especially from the west carried with them groups of NGOs who remained, doing the good or the worse. There was a free hand given in their selection and on their activities. Classification of the NGOs at that level was defunct and their activities not scrutinised. Many of the programmes of the latter also had the guest countries private sector participation; they too were equally not tolerable and un-answerable to none, owing to their dependence of state funds and pomp from the guest states as donors. They would pick and choose a country, pack and run away, un-noticed during crisis. Their presence was dictated, infact NGOs as well by the donor countries foreign policy. This irrefutable policies had a strong impact on sl during the crisis: None uttered the good side of SL when making profits, while ours very own said nothing about their good side either, in and out of parliament. Doing business in silence? What for?

With vision for development all being laid, what is now required is the presence of new participants. This has to be the new group in participatory development at private level; sort of joint venturists, the latter is here to stay. Previously, it was a mandate from the government and its favourites, chose the guest country for development or projects in their areas. Although, this method reflected selfish gains, especially, politically, it certainly deprived other areas in provinces etc. of its share of the cake. Heavy infrastructural projects carried weight ignoring development at the periphery.

Problem was that it was the hierarchy in Colombo deciding where investments ought to proceed. To add much to surprises, private investments, especially from abroad had to fall in line with such decisions. This again deprived the provinces, although, majority politicians were from far away places. The inequality in disbursements in investments will have to be replaced, thereby, promoting governments vision for fair play and equity which is now more needed. The present governments appointment of a Ministerial portfolio for “Wayamba” has set some precedence for acceptance, the need of the hour based on difference. Other provinces too could easily have strong leadership earmarked for development and investment happenings than politics alone. This again paves the way for devolution and management at the periphery.Read More