With clockwork precision
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At a polling booth, just outside Colombo, during last week’s parliamentary poll, a middle-aged voter remarked, as an official dabbed indelible ink on her finger, that election officials were doing a praiseworthy service to the nation which is often not duly acknowledged. “Thank you Madam, very rarely do we get thanks for working during an election,” the female official said in a response. It is indeed a thankless job that government officials perform during an election.Conducting an election – often with clockwork precision – is an onerous task and not many people are aware of the challenges and the difficulties that election staff are confronted with like (in last week’s case) floodwaters that affected polling and officials along with the Wildlife officials who had to ensure voters were safe in coming to the polls in areas where elephants roam. At one school which functioned as a polling centre, election staff walked to a nearby shop and bought mosquito coils — to be able to sleep at night. Ballot boxes which are taken to the polling centres the previous day are protected at all costs. There have been many instances in the past of ballot boxes being snatched or stuffed with illegal ballots, but thankfully that era is gone and the last two elections were calm and peaceful. At the behest of the ruling National People’s Power (NPP), there were just a few crackers that were lit and ruling party supporters (which has often happened in the past) didn’t attack their opponents in revenge.
It is a rare acknowledgement of a government institution that works diligently to ensure a poll is fair and peaceful and concluded with perfect timing. Everyone involved in the election process – officials, schools, police and the armed forces along with civilians value elections and the role of democracy providing their ultmost support to ensure a clean poll. How we wish all state-owned enterprises (SOE’s), municipalities (in particular garbage collectors) and other local government institutions and government departments function in the same manner as they are there for one, singular purpose – to serve the public.
As I walked to the kitchen to get my morning brew – a warm mug of tea -, I could hear the conversation of the trio seated under the margosa tree. They had returned after going to their respective villages to cast their vote. “Chandaya bohoma samakamiwa thibba. Raththingyawath paththu karey nae (The election was very peaceful. No crackers were lit),” said Serapina. “Aanduwe niladharinte harima amaru athi dushkara palaathwela chandey thiyanna (It must be hard for government officials to conduct the poll in difficult areas),” noted Kussi Amma Sera. “Magey balaporoththuwa aluth anduwa janathawage vishwasaya itu karai kiyala (I hope the new government will work in keeping with the trust of the people),” added Mabel Rasthiyadu.
Their reflection on the election and the future was also what “reconditioned” Ranjith – a know-all in the second-hand car market, wanted to discuss when he called on the land-line on Thursday morning.
“I say… the election was very peaceful and there were no celebrations of crackers and even kiribath parties. The new government seems to be very serious in governance,” he said. “They have been given a strong mandate and in keeping to their promise appointed just 22 ministers to the cabinet,” I said.
“I wonder when they would go after the rogues and crooks amongst politicians and their crony business pals,” he said. “In time… my dear… in time,” I said.
“Yes… we can’t expect miracles overnight. The government needs time to fulfill their promises,” he said, thereafter discussing the car market and the hope that the government would lift the restrictions on vehicle imports.
On the role of SOEs, the government needs to be cautious in adopting a no-privatisation policy, which the new regime is likely to follow. Many SOEs are fraught with corruption or mismanagement and loaded with government debt and need to be sold, at least partly, to the private sector. One example is SriLankan Airlines which needs to be restructured or part-sold (with a foreign airline invited to manage the outfit).
The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) and the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) also need to be restructured. The Colombo Port and the Customs are dens of corruption and need a complete overhaul and the appointment of Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, a former Customs officer, as Secretary to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake may have been with an eye on transforming the Customs.
There are hundreds of SOEs and the top 52 SOEs seem to be showing results – although they may be carrying forward a huge government debt. According to the Finance Ministry, these SOEs recorded a total profit of Rs. 185.9 billion in the first four months of 2024, compared to the total profit of Rs. 144 billion recorded in the same period of 2023. Profits came in largely due to key reforms including the introduction of cost-reflective pricing for electricity and fuel, restructuring of the balance sheets and allowing additional private sector firms to enter the petroleum sector, among others.
After adjusting finance charges and exchange differences, SriLankan Airlines – though reporting an operating profit -, reported a net loss of Rs. 12.9 billion in the first three months of 2024/25.
The Bank of Ceylon recorded a pre-tax profit of Rs. 10.5 billion in the first four months of 2024, a significant increase compared to Rs. 3.4 billion reported in the same period of 2023 while the People’s Bank recorded a profit before tax of Rs. 9.3 billion in the first four months of 2024, an increase of 47.6 per cent compared to Rs. 6.3 billion in the same period of 2023. Both banks have been under public scrutiny over the years owing to non-performing loans often taken by cronies of the ruling party.
The Ceylon Electricity Board recorded a gross profit of Rs. 68.9 billion in the first four months of 2024, compared to the gross loss of Rs. 8.6 billion in the same period of 2023 while the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation experienced a notable decline in profits in first four months of 2024 to Rs. 389.1 billion, compared to Rs. 466.8 billion in the same period of 2023.
While these SOEs are showing profits, it hides the fact that there is government debt owed to the Treasury to bail these institutions as and when required.
The government needs to carefully scrutinise the workings of these institutions, particularly the ones that don’t come under the key 52 state institutions, and improve their governance and performance or bring in private managers barring those that provide a service to the public and cannot be privatised.
As I conclude my column this week, being absent last week as the margosa tree trio had gone to their villages to vote, my reflections were on living in hope that public institutions –under the new government – will work like the efficiency and diligence of the Elections Department which did a wonderful job last week and deserve all the kudos for a task done well.
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