Dr Sarath Obeysekera

I have written many opinions emphasizing  the necessity to have a Benevolent Dictator in Sri Lanka to accelerate development .During  President Jayawardane ,Mahaweli.and other free trade zones were established despite the objections from opposition .During the time of President  Premadasa ,Garment Industry and Gamudawa development was boosted .During President Mahinda ,many other development projects were completed .

I have nothing much to say what happened under Bandaranayke’s !

All of them were somewhat  Dictators .

Now, new president who took over the reins of the country, is somewhat more democratic who wants to give presidential powers and transfer the same fully or partly to the Cabinet of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister.

We also note that Chief Ministers who have been democratically selected have not been able to execute any development project in their respective provinces .Governors who  are appointed by the  President keep attending receptions and other tamashas with their entourage  and do not contribute to any development in the provinces. One Governor is waiting for the correct lunar position to make any move !

Another governor is pacifying the chief minister who was quite persuasive and little arrogant toward Navy !

Another governor in the south is too much of a gentleman to confront the chief minister..I hardly remember the names of other governors.

What current government is trying to do is spearhead the development using somewhat Non Dictatorial Path ( in paper ?)  in executing development projects through the Special Provisions Bill rather than via  Dictatorial power .

A Super Minister trusted by the Prime Minister is entrusted to coordinate the development using more democratic means. ( hopefully)

The  President in the past who used to invite the chief ministers  to his office and just tell in uncertain terms that the project has to go ahead, they all bow down and walked out in agreement with the president at that time.Otherwise they would have got the Tyson Treat!! .

Funny enough ,after the Tyson Treat both boxers will come hugging out of the ring !!

Proposed system of spearheading development project through the Agency for Strategic Development let by a CEO who should have good, clean untarnished track record ,may be good idea except that government should have another strong team to execute the project through the line agencies .

This is what we are lacking today .

I have personally observed how certain decisions taken  at the CCEM ( cabinet committee economic management ) which is the governing body of the above proposed agency ,are ignored by government officers and ministers .

I can imagine why the government officers are scared to pen their agreement to the proposed project due to fear of FCID .

Ministers who will be requested to abide by the CCEM ruling ,quite often will go to the other leader of the National Government and tend to overrule or ignore  CCEM decisions.

I will not be surprised   that proposed agency will face the same fate in time to come.

New Special Provisions Bill indemnifies the CEO of the Super-Agency  or the Minister against any legal action ,but the officers heading the line agencies such as SLPA .Tourist Board,Fishery Ministry etc will not be indemnified against any prosecution.

I can site one example with a  Ministry  where the last person down the line who signed to release some unauthorized  funds to a rogue minister has been arrested where as the main decision makers went scot free.

In a previous opinion I wrote how the communist regime punished any bureaucrat who is involved in a corruption scandle .Even the woman who cleans the floor of his office was also arrested and punished   !!

My suggestion is for the President who is indemnified against any legal action , heads the new Agency and execute the development projects.

Dr Sarath Obeysekera