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Oversight Committees and good governance

Sri Lanka's governance system, derisively referred to among some sections as the Thattu Maru system, is at the heart of the ethnic conflict and is, rightly, seen as needing an overhaul. To the extent to which extensive power devolution to the regions figures prominently in these plans for constitutional change, the ethnic problem could be brought within the bounds of manageability.

Devolution plans, however, shouldn't be seen as constituting a radical departure from the democratization process, which seeks to grant, enhance and consolidate fundamental rights besides aiming at establishing and expanding participatory, responsible governance at all levels.

An important feature of participatory governance is the inclusion of the parliamentary opposition in governance structures. A strengthening of this feature would, in the Lankan context, take some of the sting out of the trenchant criticism that governance is a case of one political party enjoying the spoils of office in full until it is voted out of power at the next poll and the other major party takes the reins of power and enjoys it in Thattu Maru fashion; the latter being an allusion to traditional practices relating to ownership and use of agricultural lands.

From this point of view, the Government's decision to establish Parliamentary Oversight Committees for the overseeing and monitoring of the functioning of Ministries and State bodies, strikes us as important. A striking feature of these Committees is that they would be headed by a member of the opposition, besides including all parties in Parliament. This measure would provide for a degree of broad-based, participatory governance, besides ensuring transparency and accountability in the Committees' operations.

Misgovernance doesn't only take the form of misuse and abuse of the coercive powers of governance. It also takes the form of corruption in high places, misuse and wastage of State funds and property, inefficiency, nepotism, arbitrariness and the like. It is the frequent occurrence of these distortions which has led to disenchantment in the democratic system of governance among some. In fact they have contributed substantially to youth frustration and revolt, over the years.

It is our hope, therefore, that the Oversight Committee scheme would be a success. Besides checking the multifarious ills which have been dogging our public sector in particular at its heels, it should come within the mandate of these bodies to "rebuild" and render efficient the numerous public sector organisations which are tasked with taking goods and services to the people.

Public sector reform is indeed a crying need and it is our hope that the Oversight Committees' degree of effectiveness would be such that, these State institutions would enjoy a new lease of life and prove responsive to the needs of the people.


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