Dr, Sudath Gunasekara, Secretary to Former Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranayaka and President Sri Lanka Administrative Services Association (1991-1994)

Mr. President please stop appointing politicians as Chairmen of District Development Coordinating committees by resorting to political gimmick and don’t bury the District Administration of this Island, once considered the hall mark of governance in the whole British Empire.

District administration in this country is already killed or at least paralyzed by the Indian political intruder, Provincial Councils, since 1987. On the top of that disaster present practice of appointing raw politicians of the governing party as Chairmen of District Development Coordinating committees is like trying to perform the pansacula rituals of the district administration in Sri Lanka. Therefore, it should be stopped forth with.

 I have found in many districts, MPP who are not conversant with the ABCD of administration or development and who have entered for the first time also have been appointed as Chairmen of these Committees. If  at least  a senior minister in the district is appointed, going with the political trend of the day, one can  understand some rationale behind  it.  Th e present practice has not only disgraced and demoralized the GAA, the Heads of the public service in the districts.

Earlier they were also Deputy Heads of all government departments in the district.  This arrangement enabled the GAA to coordinate all government activities within his district for which he was held responsible to the central Government. Of late this position has been removed from them making district administration and development a big mockery and GAA toothless.  But In spite of these political blunders, they are still expected to coordinate both administration and development in the districts, especially when there is a crisis situation like a flood.

 It is a tragedy that even the GAA keep mum on this political manipulation. Actually, these are critical issues that should be taken up at the Monthly GAA conference, if they have one. I still remember the important role played by GAA in the1960-1975 era, as a young DRO and Assistant Director Small Industries in Kandy in the development field in all branches in the country under the able leadership of GAA like Mahinda Wijenayaka, W.J.Fernando and Stanly Maralanda supported by able and clever Addl GAA like Sarath Amunugama. Those days it was the GAA who presided over both DACC and DACC, with full authority over all government departments in the districts. This enabled him to coordinate all government activities within the district. Even when a Minister attend these meetings the GAA presides.  At these meetings attended by members of all political parties the GA had the final say as its chairman. As such there was no domination by the ruling party at these meetings and therefore the proceedings were democratic. In the days of the district ministers he presided over the meetings, thereby again politicizing these meetings reducing them to mere committees of the political party in power and thereby destroyed the spirit of multiparty democratic process.

Unfortunately, the practice of appointing ruling party MPP in recent times has killed the dignity and the spirit of all these committees resulting in utter chaos and brake down in both administration and development in the districts. Appointing inexperienced, young and ammeter men and women has made the situation worse.

Appointing ruling party politicians only make it utterly undemocratic. On the other hand, such inexperienced politicians fail in their jobs as firstly, they don’t have any experience in public administration and second, they cannot win the regard and respect of the senior officers in the district. I am not surprised even if the government decides to appoint Governors or Chief ministers as DACC and DCC, under the present set up, making it still worse.

If the government wants to streamline and make district administration effective and efficient then, only GAA as Heads of district Administration should be appointed as Chairmen of DACC and DCC to make these Committees meaningful and effective in administration and development in the districts. In addition, I strongly feel the government should get back to the 1965- 77 practice of appointing hand-picked senior people who have wide experience and proven ability not only in Divisional and District Administration but also at National level experience, at least two years of Experience as heads of Departments so that they will command the respect and acceptance among the public servants in the districts.  Then only the District Committees can sustain an effective job in administration and development within their districts.

Mr. president the whole nation will stand behind you and will admire you, if you implement the above plan practiced by veteran leaders in the past like Sirimavo Bandaranayaka and Dudley Senanayaka. The ultimate success of a war depends mostly on the leadership of the Commander. Similarly, the success of district administration and development depends mostly on the quality and the ability of the Head of the District to lead the team. Let the GAA continue to do their former jobs and let the politician confine themselves to politics.

(The writer with 35 years of experience in Divisional, District and National level administration and former Visiting Lecture Peradeniya University)