The budget is nearly upon us. Usually, by this time, the opposition’s cost of living cries and reminders of unfulfilled promises are loud and unrelenting –– nearly as tireless as paparé bands during big match season. This year they seem to have been distracted by robes and elephants, demanding pardons for the monk Gnanasara and inquests for tusker Kavanthissa.
This government meanwhile is beavering away. Anil Jayantha Fernando, the deputy finance minister, and Harshana Suriyapperuma, the treasury secretary are leading the budget preparation team.
Implementation remains perhaps the number one challenge. A fortnight ago the Chamber of Commerce — the country’s main business lobby — highlighted the implementation gap. Though 18 of their proposals were included in last year’s budget, only one is done and dusted.
Implementation hasn’t been as staid when it comes to laws giving the cops and their masters more teeth. The Supreme Court’s determination on the new anti-terror law is likely to reach the Speaker next week.
But the government won’t push for an immediate debate. Voting on the law and its twin, the Prevention of Organised Crime Bill, will have to wait till the budget is out of the way. Unredacted learns the twin laws will most likely be debated in Parliament come the new year.
Diplomatic disorder
The government’s troubles in steering the ship of state haven’t only been on the economic front. This week’s handling of foreign affairs didn’t distinguish itself.
K.D. Lalkantha, the agriculture minister, met the Indian high commissioner and two other Indian diplomats at the Indian envoy’s residence, India House. The visit was not a social call, like lunch or dinner. The duo discussed business: “politics, agricultural innovation and international geopolitical developments.”
Violating a circular, Lalkantha went alone. He wasn’t accompanied by any diplomats or civil servants, or even a note-taker. The relevant circular, issued last year by the secretary to the president, says ministers “should invite a representative of the Ministry in charge of the subject of Foreign Affairs and other related Ministries when meeting with visiting Ministers, dignitaries, delegations, Ambassadors or Senior Officials of foreign governments.”
Without notes to record what was discussed, or civil servants to follow-up, it’s no surprise that projects keep dragging on, affecting Sri Lanka’s credibility with other countries. Shockingly, it’s not unheard of for Sri Lankan diplomats to informally telephone their foreign counterparts to secure records of meetings past – often there are none in the government’s filing cabinets.
Then there is the question of protocol. The usual practice is for ministers to host ambassadors when meeting officially. Extending hospitality is a courtesy that befits the host country and, more importantly, it avoids perceptions of favouritism (the Pakistani high commissioner visited at Lalkantha’s office in May) or supplication (cabinet ministers outrank ambassadors, so ambassadors call on ministers rather than the other way around). For example in India’s order of precedence, ministers are ranked seventh, while foreign ambassadors are ranked eighth.
Increasingly, in India's case, ministers appear to be observing protocol in the breach, such as when Anura Karunathilake, the energy and ports minister, also made his way to India House in June. It would be a shame if this government’s humble and practical approach to conducting business were confused with kowtowing. Perhaps ministers can take a cue from Tilvin Silva, the JVP’s general-secretary, who, despite having no rank on the protocol list, received the Indian high commissioner at Pelawatte yesterday.
The foreign ministry’s secretary, Aruni Ranaraja, appears too burdened with her other charges –– tourism and foreign employment –– to put the diplomatic house in order.
Assets or liabilities
Nearly 160,000 asset declarations covering politicians, civil servants and others in positions of public trust are now out.
