Take the cue from Dullas

At a time when 'clean governance and administration' has emerged as a paramount need, it is encouraging to find Transport Minister Dullas Alahapperuma insisting on established procedures for recruitment of personnel to the SLTB. That is, from now on all such recruits would be interviewed and put through other administrative requirements prior to enlistment.

What is intriguing is that interviews for recruitment to the SLTB had been dispensed with since 1979. What accounts for this glaring lapse in administrative procedure?

From what we know of local realities, this breakdown could have been triggered by the rapid politicization of State sector organizations.

A doing away with the correct way of doing things facilitates recruitment through the "back door". Such irregularities have been bountiful in a number of State bodies and the SLTB has been notorious for these dark dealings in the past. For instance, the SLTB was filled to overflowing with employees who entered with the politician's "chit" in hand.

We are glad, therefore, that the Transport Minister is cracking the whip on these lapses and in effect doing away with the politicization of the SLTB. We hope the example set by the Transport Minister would be stringently followed by other Ministers and whoever runs public sector institutions. In the name of fairplay and good practices we urge them to come down hard on mismanagement and maladministration.

The right woman or man in the right place, remains the guiding principle with regard to public sector recruitment. The country is paying immensely for the neglect of this principle. The proverbial Square Pegs in Round Holes have led to waste and ruin in the public sector.

The people have, as a result, been deprived of their essentials, such as a good service by State sector bodies.

As a result of these organizations falling into the wrong hands, they have not only been badly administered but the people's aspirations have been defeated.

The bodies concerned have gone to rack and ruin and become a heavy drain on the public purse. The proverbial White Elephants, in short. We need to move out of this ruinous path. Our public sector bodies should be run according to the Establishment Code in the most accountable manner if these institutions are to meet public expectations.

When it comes to weighty tasks such as these, leadership is of crucial importance. Minister Alahapperuma has proved that he means business and that he intends moving away from the beaten track of mismanagement and inefficiency.

If other Ministers take the cue from him, public sector efficiency would not prove a distant dream.

Precept must be translated into practice. Thus far the public has been only preached to on good administration. Very little has been done to bring sound governance to State bodies. We call on all our Ministers to lead from the front in this regard.