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| Thursday, 3 March 2005 |
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Speed and coordination greatest challenges in rebuilding - Treasury Secretary By Channa Kasturisinghe Speedy implementation of the post-tsunami reconstruction activitis with a coordinated effort of the Government, donor agencies and the civil society is one of the greatest challenges the country is facing today, Treasury Secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundera said. He also said that although the global community has committed a large volume of resources in support of the reconstruction activities the mobilization of these funds towards economic development in the affected areas without destabilizing the macro economic environment would not be an easy task by any means. He was addressing a meeting at the Centre for Banking Studies, Rajagiriya yesterday. "Despite a large aid pronouncement by donors, translating them into commitments and effecting actual expenditure takes time. For instance, the Japanese grant US$ 80 million still remains unutilized," Dr. Jayasundera said. He said the procurement procedures adopted by several other donors including the World Bank to disburse funds, will also take long time to meet expenditure expected by such assistance. "Since a large number of donors including multi-laterals, Governments and international non-governmental organisations are involved in providing funds, a co-ordinated approach towards management of the entire development process is important. In this background donors need to recognize the government priorities and local ownership. Very often each donor has its own strategies, with no regard to those of other donors. Each donor also tend to program their own activities on the assumption that the other donor will finance different activities. Therefore, it is necessary that all stakeholders work within the framework of the government development program and its macro economic framework, so that all needs can be adequately and efficiently met minimizing implementation delays and frustrations among affected people," Dr. Jayasundera said. He also said that the utilization of foreign aid is constrained by complex procurement practices of the donors and of the government. "Speedy implementation would require revisions or modifications to prevailing administrative procedures, accounting and auditing systems and the management approach," he said. Dr. Jayasundera also said that the transforming of the Taskforce for Rebuilding the Nation (TAFREN) into a separate national secretariat with a lifespan of 3-5 years is essential to co-ordinate the central level reconstruction projects. |
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