Public service as patriotic duty

The country is on the threshold of a new beginning with the complete eradication of terrorism from its soil. The three decade long conflict has come to an end opening the door for the country to realize its full potential.

No doubt the protracted war set the country back in economic development and retarded progress. It also spawned enmity and bitterness among communities. In short what was witnessed was a fractured polity with the country drifting into the unknown.

Now that this bitter chapter has been closed, it is time to pick up the pieces and look to the future.

A herculean task awaits the Government in mending the fractured polity and rebuilding the nation.As the sounds of celebrations gradually taper off, it is time to take stock of the situation and move into the next phase which perhaps is the more challenging.

It is time that we harness the patriotic fervour that was displayed in homes , on the streets and in workplaces, as a potent force in the task of nation building.

It is in this context that the statement made by Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga assumes importance. Speaking at a function to honour the Tri-forces and the Police at the Presidential Secretariat, he called on all public servants to dedicate themselves towards building the Nation considering themselves as true patriots.

“As much as the Heroic Forces sacrificed their lives to liberate the country from terrorists, the public servants too should render a similar service to usher in a prosperous Nation,” he said.

This appeal akin to a clarion call to the public servants is a most timely one. We say this because Public Servants are generally viewed as a breed who always ask for more but give less in return. In the eyes of the general public, they constantly demand wage increases and other facilities and concessions from the Government without stopping to pause if they give value for money and their contribution towards the state.

There were many pronouncements made by the Public Servants recently that they would not burden the Government with demands at a time the Security Forces are on the final lap of liberating the country.

Now that this onerous task has been accomplished, it is hoped the public sector would similarly extend their cooperation in the massive task that lies ahead to rebuild the Nation. Going by the conduct of the Public Servants during the final stages of the battle, it would be logical to assume that they will put up with more sacrifices on the road to achieve development and prosperity for the Nation.

This way, they will be giving full expression to their sentiments displayed in the aftermath of the victory.

They can do this by not merely being passive observers but by getting actively involved in the post-war rebuilding process. They can do this by small gestures such as expressing willingness to serve in uncongenial stations in the country or by not objecting to other inconveniences.

The Public Servants who were out in full strength celebrating the victory should only think of the hardship and bloody sacrifices undergone by our valiant soldiers, to inspire them to serve the Nation with dedication.

Then they could also put in extra hours of duty without confining themselves to an eight hour job because the wheels of the civil administration will have to grind round the clock if the Government is to accomplish the gigantic task that lies before it. Clock watchers and shirkers will not fit into the new scheme of things.

The vast mass of our public servants demonstrated their patriotism by celebrating the victory over terrorism on a grand scale in their workplaces partaking kiribath and parading the streets.

They should now strive to convert this show of patriotism in a tangible form by infusing this same patriotic fervour into their official tasks. It is now a national calling.

This is an ideal time to convert the sleeping giant of the public service into a more active entity. The Government should cash in on current sentiments to prevail on the public sector workers to attend to their task with due diligence and patriotism .

To begin with, the lackadaisical attitude of the public sector employees should change. The victory of nation and the task of Nation building ought to spur him on with a new vigour and drive.

There is also a need to assume responsibility and develop a new work ethic. Today, if one walks into a State institution, the likely scenario is groups huddled in conversation, employees clinging onto telephones, idle fans and a general air of drift and disorganization.

The new road charted for the country hopefully would see a sea change in the country’s public sector with all and sundry pulling their weight and lending their collective shoulder to the wheel.

This would see them give true expression to the sentiments they demonstrated in ample measure during those raucous victory celebrations.