Good governance lacks godfathers

The king of the jungle delivering the annual budget for 2008 appealed to all Ministers, Secretaries and Heads of Departments to render services based on a Code of Conduct and Ethics and free from Corruption and called for a concerted effort to eradicate bribery and corruption, and invited all public servants to mobilize the working class, entrepreneurs and tax payers to work towards the country’s development..

A few days later the leading ghost writer of the budget speech, the ST, at a meeting with the leadership team of an International Financial Institution (IFI) and in the presence of the External Resources Department Head, demonstrates the emptiness of the above appeal.

The IFI had recommended that unspent grant funds of US$7 million be allocated to assure an improved governance framework in the jungle, by supporting essential technical and human capacity building within the Bribery Commission and the Government Audit Departments (BC/AG). The ST had then insisted that these funds are required for building of roads and refused the request of the IFI, despite being pointed out that the funds are insufficient to make any meaningful difference in the roads infrastructure, but will make a significant difference to the expected outcomes from the two governance institutions.
An effective BC/AG can yield savings through reduction of waste and corruption well in excess of the proposed allocation and even sufficient to develop the entire road infrastructure of the country. The grant funds now allocated to road development will support a part of the big budget deficit, fatten some politicians, officials and contractors and will not deliver any material long term sustainable benefits to the nation and the people.

Two young village leader girls making a presentation before a meeting of like minded anti-corruption supportive civil society members, reviewing “Environment and Integrity” appealed for help to save the harmony, environment, livelihoods, health, ecology and water resources of a tiny village in the Puttalam District. The village, though impoverished and subject to harsh weather and lacking in water for irrigation/ drinking/bathing, has rich, high quality gravel soil. For some time the village gravel is being raped and looted by the high and mighty in the area along with their henchmen, thugs and supportive officials. The extent of environmental damage can be seen with the village now full of craters like on the moon surface, with dangers of disease from rain water collections and collapse, endangering the lives of the villagers and their meagre house properties.

The area has opposing factions of politicians with power and support of the underworld who appear to be constantly at logger heads with each other based on party colour. However, they are in a common alliance in planning and executing the rape of the village resource –gravel. The high quality gravel is being collected for road development and mainly for the land fill in Norachcholai power plant site. The extent of the exploitation can be assessed from the level of activity in the village, currently deploying 10 Beco machines and 205 tipper trucks.

The gravel exploitation on the scale currently taking place has left the only connecting road to the village in a deplorable state, affected the quality and availability of drinking water and filling the area with dust to an extent that agricultural activities are severely impaired along with the health of the villagers.

The appeal to the district officials and the Environmental Authority have been in vain. The robber barons have created ethnic disharmony and dissension amongst the three communities and divided the villagers to camps who benefit or are impacted by the extraction. An ethnic and rich/poor community related clash is now imminent.

Where are the “100 Just Men/Women” that Justice Mark Fernando, in his address to the OPA, called upon to form a collective and bring about a paradigm shift in governance in this nation? Will we see them emerge and be the god fathers/mothers of society seeking leadership support for good governance? And will these 100 Just Men/ Women commit to:

• Be real men/women of integrity, ethical and highly professional.
• Speak openly and fearlessly on negative governance issues or issues that negatively impact the forward march, growth and prosperity of the nation and its people.
• Adopt a value system placing the “nation and its people first”.
• Engage with society at large, especially in rural communities with lesser. capability, to improve awareness, knowledge and information for good. governance and enhance the collective capacity to demand accountability and governance from those empowered.
• Build coalitions with like minded groups in assuring good governance, equity, justice, peace and harmony.
• Seek a paradigm change in governance via collective efforts.
• Seek the redress of the justice system by pursuing public interest litigation and public trust doctrine.